hum 1 of 2

as in purr
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion we heard the hum of an outboard motor and a few minutes later the small craft came into sight

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hum

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied one restaurant was humming with diners, while a neighboring eatery was practically empty

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2

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hum
Verb
To keep it humming, vast numbers of workers had to converge on a few cramped zones each morning, work together all day, and disperse to distant neighborhoods at night. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 Nov. 2024 Already retailers are looking to keep consumers happy, keep their supply chains humming and keep the lights on. Evan Clark, WWD, 22 Nov. 2024 Insects hummed from the grasses, green lizards slept in the trees, and resting water birds, spooked by our approaching footsteps, squawked and flew away. Vox Staff, Vox, 5 Nov. 2024 The room hummed with tension, a symphony of clicking keyboards and urgent whispers. Sidharth Ramsinghaney, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hum 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum
Noun
  • Stocking Stuffers Under $30 Cat lovers will purr over these adorable bowls.
    Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Nov. 2024
  • This little kitty purrs, walks, and even tumbles, giving my daughter all the fun of having another cat without the extra fur or midnight meows.
    Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Or Shamar Joseph bursting through Australia in Brisbane.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Major guild strikes ended last year and the streaming bubble burst from 2022 has given platforms at least some time to recover since.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • My cousin, for example, lives with four other twenty-somethings in a messy, buzzing apartment that’s not so different from college.
    Ivy Becker, StyleCaster, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The globe’s biggest Afropop stars throw their own shows back home or headline massive festivals, events of all kinds abound, beaches get packed out with buzzing groups of friends and family, and for many, schools close, work slows, and the joyful gatherings seem never ending.
    Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • With a fan balanced behind each ear, the device operates at the level of a whisper (30 decibels), and its battery can last for 17 hours, or the equivalent of two workdays.
    Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Neutral and clean with just a whisper of grain and pepper to enliven the palate.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Just as the late Peter Lorre’s bulging eyes remain his most enduring feature, teeth will be Carrey’s long after he’s gone.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
  • Now my trimmings cabinet is a bulging mass of treasures awaiting their moment.
    Fiorella Valdesolo, Curbed, 16 Sep. 2024
Noun
  • Then, the leaves rustle and T.J. pops out of a trap door in the ground, Night of the Living Dead style.
    Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Walking to our room and listening to the leaves rustle in the breeze was its own form of therapy.
    Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Later, Dylan zips off on his hog as Seeger waves him goodbye.
    Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Scooters zip through the streets, vendors loudly hawk their wares at outdoor markets, street musicians play old songs, the smell of pizza and all kinds of fried delicacies wafts in the air, and laundry hanging off of balconies flutters in the wind.
    Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The machines buzzed and whirred as the cows were carried in a lazy arc to the parlor’s exit, where they were detached from milk hoses and sent on their way.
    Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024
  • Their brand new Audio Overview feature from Google Labs has got my mind whirring with the possibilities.
    Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near hum

Cite this Entry

“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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