strum

1 of 2

noun

ˈstrəm 

: 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

also : thrum entry 1 sense 1

b

: to play (music) on a stringed instrument

strum a tune

2

: to cause to sound vibrantly

winds strummed the rigging

—H. 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

Noun

When the track kicks in fully, the bassline, drums, guitar strums, and vocals all share the spotlight in the busy mix, without any element overshadowing another. —PCMAG, 5 Feb. 2025

And her gossamer guitar strums are as faint as whispers, keeping time alongside echoey taps and supple upright bass. —Stephen Kearse, TIME, 9 Dec. 2024

Verb

The movie is now Searchlight Pictures’ No. 6 highest-grossing title of all time at the domestic box office with $69.5M, behind Sideways ($71.5M), and it’s expected to strum to the Disney classic label’s fifth-best ever spot in the coming weeks. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025

Stu Cook, the bassist of legendary rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, recently strummed his Sarasota, Florida, residence onto the market for $10 million—and the waterfront pad has incredible views of Roberts Bay. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2025

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

Kids Definition

strum

verb

ˈstrəm

strummed; strumming

: to play a stringed instrument by brushing the strings with the fingers

strummer noun