as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
the steady thrum of the turbines in the power plant
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thrum
Lauren Ng
contact, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
An unassuming airstrip, once built to serve supersonic jets but quickly relegated to a training facility, thrummed with activity Monday as tractor trailers unloaded supplies and construction crews worked in the thick humidity to finish building the detention facility.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 16 July 2025
The low thrum of a crowd as the playlist slides from early ’90s R&B to a warm wave of Afrobeats.
—Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Noun
Melody, the Virgil Village bungalow that constantly thrummed with diners who settled into its open-air living room and patio to try burgeoning food pop-ups, swill natural wine and jam to owner Eric Tucker’s genre-spanning DJ sets, is set to close permanently on July 12.
—Lauren Ng
contact, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
An unassuming airstrip, once built to serve supersonic jets but quickly relegated to a training facility, thrummed with activity Monday as tractor trailers unloaded supplies and construction crews worked in the thick humidity to finish building the detention facility.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
Verb
For some residents in Over-the-Rhine, the thrum of motorcycles and speeding cars has become too much.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 16 July 2025
The low thrum of a crowd as the playlist slides from early ’90s R&B to a warm wave of Afrobeats.
—Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrum
Noun
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But if hotel noises, traffic rumbles, or plane hums keep you from getting some shut-eye, this compact sound machine may become your best travel companion.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Sep. 2025
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At first glance, Nam-Joon Cho’s lab at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University looks like your typical research facility—scientists toiling away, crowded workbenches, a hum of machinery in the background.—
Sandy Ong,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Behind the set of double doors protecting the visiting locker room, the silence was so noticeable that conversations among players, owners and coaches could be nearly whispered — until Chris defensive star Chris Jones interrupted the tranquility.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
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To convey alterations in tone, volume and emotion, a variable typeface is deployed, showing louder voices in a larger font and whispers in smaller text as well as different display options for pitch, non-speech sounds and music.—
Gus Alexiou,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Washington delivers the dialogue with a thrilling range from purrs to roars, all imbued with an authoritative swagger.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Fluffy robot pets that purr for your attention or tell you a joke.—
Joseph Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Noun
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In an age when generating the biggest buzz seems to be the only way to get ahead, Ron del Barrilito is quietly doubling down on its history.—
Carley Rojas Ávila,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Real Performance, Real Credibility FIBI isn’t just building buzz—they’re earning trust.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nineteen hours after departure the train took its final breath, hissed and braked into the historic port of Narvik.—
The Editors,
Outside,
31 Aug. 2025
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Initially Mila can be seen hissing at Fifi, just for being near her.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Deep breathing could be heard; birds chirped loudly outside; spectators murmured on the periphery.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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An Indian woman in sports clothes walks past me murmuring an unbroken monologue into her phone.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Andy sighed, shuddering between them.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
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And while many might be reluctant to close the time capsule door on their beloved skinnies, some of us are sighing with relief that the current denim trend is comfy enough for travel.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Every evening, Hofstadter would leave his calculator whirring.—
Lyndie Chiou,
Quanta Magazine,
25 Aug. 2025
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Lohmann was an integral cog in an ever-whirring German feat of engineering that saw Bayern stride into a record-breaking 44 matches unbeaten between December 2021 and October 2024.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrum. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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