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
Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Copenhagen may be 5,200 miles away from Caracas, but the thrum of the helicopters that grabbed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will have been deafening in the Danish capital.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Tensions simmer throughout their convent visit, thrumming just barely below the surface.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Noun
The thrum comes through clearly in the soundscape of the market, a cacophony of live animals, merchants, shoppers and roving musicians.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Copenhagen may be 5,200 miles away from Caracas, but the thrum of the helicopters that grabbed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will have been deafening in the Danish capital.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
As the women built a thrumming rhythm from their drums and began to chant while others danced, the Hula Halau ‘O Nalua and ‘Ote’a ‘Api School of Polynesian Dance seemed to teleport from the interior of an industrial park in Fremont to a Hawaiian island.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Tensions simmer throughout their convent visit, thrumming just barely below the surface.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrum
Noun
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Cooked in a wood-burning oven, the chicken hums with a gentle smokiness and a complex, fruity chile flavor that’s warm, rounded and highly addictive.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
While some prefer the lo-fi hum of a record player, others like the crisp sound of a compact disc.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 73-year-old Weinstein kept his eyes trained on Mann throughout her Tuesday testimony, intermittently whispering to his attorney, Teny Geragos.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Peasants whisper about monsters in the forest, and in the interlude between the wars, Lajos gazes at a house that is burning down and has a premonition of the world-historical destruction to come.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The production wears its metaphors lightly with a wink and a purr.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
-
On most days, the surf is loud enough to mask the steady purr of cars.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He was later woken up by a hissing sound and noticed a flame on the floor of his bedroom.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
This behavior may include stamping its feet, raising its tail, or hissing.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As one example, Servais pointed to a new pop-up fair in Brussels called Parloir that generated considerable buzz for its inaugural edition in the Belgian capital this year, held in an unused office building currently under construction.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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The buzz around JoAnne’s sessions is that Lee is about to be pushed out of the company, which will lead to a series of predictable market fluctuations.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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True to form, the Boards of Canada resurrection has murmured to life so quietly that only the most obsessive of code breakers twigged it early on.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The remark drew a mix of gasps, murmurs and laughs from others in the room.—
Emily Chang,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When placed in front of him, the child either cowers backward in fear and sighs with relief when it's turned off or uses the Force to deactivate it.—
Kirsten Acuna,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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Seeing her dad’s handwriting, Lally sighed.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shadows and strange sounds can set imaginations whirring—from the guttural roar of a hunting lion to the giggling calls of a feasting hyena pack.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
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In this case, a genteel woman’s tradition is set against the sound of military helicopters whirring overhead.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrum. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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