HUM Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

hum 1 of 2

noun

Definition of hum

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hum

2 of 2

verb

ˈhəm

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to buzz

to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound a helicopter hummed overhead

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Example 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

Noun

The noise in Granbury, Texas, that started as a hum in the summer of 2023 had by January begun to disturb her at all hours. — Tavleen Tarrant, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2026 The technology adapts the physics of Helmholtz resonance, which is the physical phenomenon behind the hum produced by blowing across a bottle neck. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026

Verb

Seemingly hampered by a back injury earlier this season, Clark appears to be humming, now putting up historic numbers and career-high marks. — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 The bleachers were packed, and for the first time all day the air hummed with genuine enthusiasm. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hum

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum

Noun

Kimie Smothermon begins each day greeted by the squeals, chirps and purrs of nearly 400 guinea pigs.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
In the mid-1970s, Slash’s mother, the costume designer Ola Hudson, worked on the American production of The Rocky Horror Show, whose Frank-N-Furter is the unmistakable touchstone of Bourzgui’s David, down to the depraved purr.

— Sarah Grant, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of purr

Verb

Chinese authorities also warned that a barrier lake, which formed at the confluence of the Tsogyal and the Purupqiangzangbu rivers, is overflowing and may burst.

— Niranjan Shrestha, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Sip local wines like Norton or Vignoles, hop around downtown, or wander through orchards bursting with ripe apples while leaves crunch underfoot.

— Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of burst

Verb

The monsters of the original — the Cyclops and the sirens — are replaced by drones that buzz across the stage and models of robotic war machines.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
And as Forte mentioned, the film is being released amid glowing reviews and very positive audience buzz.

— Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of buzz

Noun

And in recent weeks, concerns about that history — including accusations of nonpayment and unlicensed screenings at the Kingsway — have traveled west through something of an industry whisper network, increasingly spilling into public view.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026
Higher still The whisper numbers are higher still, with analysts and traders thinking third-quarter sales guidance could reach $107 billion to $108 billion, and even as high as $110 billion.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of whisper

Verb

Infants may act sluggish or not active, vomit, be unusually fussy, face poor feeding, show a bulging soft spot on the head, or show poor reflexes.

— Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Padmini came in about ten minutes later, carrying a net bag bulging with okra and shiny gourds.

— Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of bulge

Verb

Across the city yesterday morning, yellow school buses zipped through streets.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Facing second-and-4 in the second quarter, Browning took a shotgun snap, and Anudike-Uzomah was there in an instant, zipping by Tampa Bay third-string tackle Marshall Fournier for a free shot on Browning.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of zip

Verb

Inside one of American Royal’s vast new barns, the smell of fresh paint still lingers as the hum of whirring drills and construction equipment fills the space just over 15 days until its first event on the new campus.

— Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
Visually, the entire set was stunning, with fast cuts of Nancy Whang pounding on her keyboard, Al Doyle whirring his synthesizer, and Murphy shouting into his microphone, wrapped around his arm.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of whir

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hulls

hum

human

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“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hum

noun

verb

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