HUMMING Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

humming 1 of 2

adjective

as in buzzing

marked by much life, movement, or activity the new science center is usually humming with school groups on Thursdays

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humming

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hum

as in bursting

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 zipping

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 humming

Adjective

The Colts’ offense is absolutely humming. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025

Verb

Meanwhile, this column just keeps humming along day after day. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The sounds of generators humming and chain saws whirling filled the neighborhood Thursday afternoon. — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 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 Dreamy interludes pad the space between tracks with humming synths and strings; sometimes songs dissolve into floating mood pieces, anchored by a drone or loop. — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026 The insects protect their queen, collecting in a roiling, humming mass on his hand. — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2026 Director and co-screenwriter Cal Brunker keeps the 90-minute movie humming along at a fast clip, and even includes a Tough Mudder-like flashback of Marshall trying to clear a wall during his rescue training. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026 On the other hand, it has also been credited for keeping the US economy humming, as wealthier Americans keep spending and businesses keep hiring. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 At the center of the effort was sixth-year linebacker Nick Bolton, the quarterback of the unit, who focused on galvanizing the troops to create havoc and slow down an offense that had been humming earlier in the frame. — Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for humming

Adjective

Tucked away in a private backyard in Ashford, one of the state’s few apitherapy huts allows people to breathe in air from thousands of buzzing bees.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2026
Over the decades, the equipment evolved into today’s version of the sport, featuring a beeping softball and four-foot-tall buzzing foam bases that guide players through sound.

— Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of buzzing

Verb

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
Forever Cemetery, where John Carpenter’s shape-shifting, stomach-bursting masterpiece comes alive on All Hallows’ Eve.

— Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of bursting

Verb

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
The star is zipping around the black hole, reaching speeds of about 15,534 miles per second.

— Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of zipping

Adjective

During the water-cure craze of the late nineteenth century, Te Aroha was a thriving spa town.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Britain still has major advantages, from world-class museums and galleries to a thriving creative economy, but competing internationally will require more ambitious philanthropy.

— George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of thriving

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 whirring

Adjective

Repetitive motifs in various shapes were her trademark, resembling netting, swirls or worms, but most often dots, dancing proudly on her canvases or as sparkling balls or dots of light in her installations in all their vibrant, psychedelic glory.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
For brisk days, bundle up in a trusty (and equally vibrant) cardigan.

— India Roby, Glamour, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of vibrant

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hummers

humming

hummock

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“Humming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humming. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of humming

adjective

verb

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