Synonyms for hum
- verb
- noun
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Buzz — to drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly
4. Sweet-talk — to flatter by approving; to cajole; to deceive or impose upon; to humbug
sweet-talk informal, inveigle, blandish, tweedle dated
Noun
hum-buzz, busy-ness, see hum informal, bombination
Definitions
- v. 1
To drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly.
- v. 2
To buzz, be busily active like a beehive.
The streets were humming with activity.
- v. 3
To reek, smell bad.
This room really hums — have you ever tried spring cleaning, mate?
- n. 1
A hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.
Choose the right word
To hum is to utter murmuring sounds with somewhat monotonous musical cadence, usually with closed lips; we speak also of the hum of machinery, etc.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- buzz Give me a buzz if you feel like going out tonight.
- hustle You have to hustle if you want to get on in the world.
- bustle Yanni loved the hustle and bustle of Algiers.
- stink Guests are like fish - after three days they stink.
By length
- 3 letters
- wiz1
- 4 letters
- sing1, buzz1, funk1, whiz1, reek1, whir
- 5 letters
- smell1, drone1, carol2, stink1, whizz, croon1, whirr, thrum
- 6 letters
- hustle2, bumble2, bustle2, murmur2, seethe1, warble2
- 7 letters
- tweedle2
- 8 letters
- inveigle, blandish
- 9 letters
- bombinate
- 11 letters
- bombination
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (carol2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- fredonner
- Italiano
- canticchiare
- Español
- canturrear