drum machine

noun

: an electronic device that simulates the sound of drums

Examples of drum machine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The mix is dense with tape hiss, drum machines drift in and out of sync, and vocals often feel buried or half-whispered. Jose Valentino Ruiz, The Conversation, 13 June 2025 Synthesizers and drum machines are stored underneath. Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 22 Apr. 2025 Stone wove drum machines into the dense thickets of sound. Rob Tannenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 The sound originally came from the Roland TR-808 drum machine, and became associated with thick, thudding kicks used in a slew of genres. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for drum machine

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drum machine was in 1976

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Cite this Entry

“Drum machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drum%20machine. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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