as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
listened to the reassuring purr of the car engine
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to whisper
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purr
New Atlas, 28 Apr. 2025
Saldana continues, as the kitties all purr in the background.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
No one’s immune from suspicion, not even Kathryn, who has a way of smiling and purring through her answers to anyone’s questions.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for purr
Noun
Bugatti/Jacob & Co. Where the Tourbillon V16 engine screams at 9,000 rpm, the Jacob and Co. miniature V16 purrs the seconds away with 16 tiny titanium pistons firing up and down inside a clear sapphire engine block.
—New Atlas, 28 Apr. 2025
Saldana continues, as the kitties all purr in the background.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
Signs that your cat loves you include slow blinking; headbutting; grooming; kneading; showing their belly to you, which is otherwise uncommon in the feline world; meowing and purring at you.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
No one’s immune from suspicion, not even Kathryn, who has a way of smiling and purring through her answers to anyone’s questions.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for purr
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purr
Verb
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Croatia is full of stunning places, but one island has become the summer destination people can’t stop whispering about: Hvar.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
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So tulips and roses allegedly conveyed passion, peonies whispered shyness, and a white violet or a daisy denoted innocence.—
Lynn Yaeger,
Vogue,
26 May 2025
Verb
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In one video, the passenger shared a video of a brown roach making its way up the back of a chair from the back seat pocket with its little legs as passengers who witnessed it could be heard murmuring in the background.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
14 May 2025
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But the attitude of the Romanian mercenaries — always scanning the road, murmuring into radios — gave it away: Congo’s defenses were crumbling.—
Emmet Livingstone,
The Dial,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Shoppers drag pushcarts through dozens of fruit and vegetable stalls as vendors shout prices on loop, in a rhythm.—
Lily Radziemski,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Passengers allegedly held onto the ride’s safety bars and shouted for help as many reported feeling dizzy, dehydrated, and increasingly panicked as the minutes turned into hours.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Asked about Tkachuk and the verbal jousting with Nylander near the end of Game 4, Domi was nonplussed about the subject of chirping between teams.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
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Oystercatchers chirping and paddling their bright orange feet.—
Robin Catalano,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
Verb
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His comments had some in the audience gasping at times, given that the BBC’s role and its relationships with other players tend to be at the center of attention in the U.K. TV world.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2025
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Abel, who aced his audition on May 18 with six-shutout innings against the Pirates in a spot start, will get slotted into the rotation while Johnson could get high-leverage innings for a depleted bullpen that’s gasping after losing Jose Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension.—
Anthony Stitt,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
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The Bulldogs players began to tap their friends and mouth the quarterback’s name.—
Adam Grosbard,
Orange County Register,
5 Mar. 2025
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Ford decided to mouth his last name at the end, a decision that caused observers to break out in laughter.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The 'Survivor 48' final 5 speak in exclusive finale interview 'Survivor 48' jury speaks in exclusive pre-finale interview Of course, that is exactly what happened.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
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The 27-year-old Fanning, who grew up in the spotlight as a child star alongside her sister Dakota, also spoke about how her career has evolved over the years after a journalist noted that this may be her most mature role yet.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Verb
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At Bonniers Konsthall, with its low mechanical rhythm and amorphous forms, the sculpture breathes and shudders in a space that feels eerily alive—a shelter of desire, decay, and instability.—
Nargess Banks,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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By then, the toxic soup Bill had breathed in during all those months on the Pile were taking their toll on the retired cop’s body.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Purr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purr. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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