strum

1 of 2

noun

: an act, instance, or sound of strumming

strum

2 of 2

verb

strummed; strumming

transitive verb

1
a
: to brush the fingers over the strings of (a musical instrument) in playing
strum a guitar
b
: to play (music) on a stringed instrument
strum a tune
2
: to cause to sound vibrantly
winds strummed the riggingH. A. Chippendale

intransitive verb

1
: to strum a stringed instrument
2
: to sound vibrantly
strummer noun

Examples of strum in a Sentence

Verb He strummed a tune on the guitar.
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.
Noun
When the track properly kicks in, the punchy bassline takes center stage in the mix while the higher drums, guitar strums, and vocals settle further in the background. PCMAG, 26 Nov. 2024 Learning to play guitar through those tracks was an act of communion, every strum bringing him closer to his father John Lennon, who was killed in December 1980. Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
Learn to strum a new song each day of the coming year, from the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac to traditional folk music. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024 The Brothers Four Katharine Hepburn Cultural Art Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook The Brothers Four were part of the folk boom of the 1950s and ‘60s and are still harmonizing and strumming nearly 70 years after the group was founded. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strum 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

imitative

First Known Use

Noun

1764, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1777, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of strum was in 1764

Dictionary Entries Near strum

Cite this Entry

“Strum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strum. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

strum

verb
ˈstrəm
strummed; strumming
: to play a stringed instrument by brushing the strings with the fingers
strummer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on strum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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