variants
also whirr
as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
a whir coming from the refrigerator
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also whirr
as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
the hummingbird whirred as it hovered over a flower our tires whirred as we traveled over the rough road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of whir
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
Inside, multi-ton letterpresses clank and whir, fires roar, melting down metal and bookbinders painstakingly fold pages upon pages upon pages.
—John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 18 July 2024
Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 26 Oct. 2024
In the table tennis room, fans whir while pairs of players in their 70s and 80s dart at the ball, exclaiming in Cantonese while working up a sweat.
—Ashley Milne-Tyte, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for whir 
Noun
The click and whir of German motors resounded across to the Soviet side of the frontier.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
Inside, multi-ton letterpresses clank and whir, fires roar, melting down metal and bookbinders painstakingly fold pages upon pages upon pages.
—John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 18 July 2024
Verb
Behind her, test ballots whirred through one of the machines that lined the wall inside a back room of the warehouse.
—Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 26 Oct. 2024
In the table tennis room, fans whir while pairs of players in their 70s and 80s dart at the ball, exclaiming in Cantonese while working up a sweat.
—Ashley Milne-Tyte, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for whir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whir
Verb
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Others volunteer to water plants, write a weekly newsletter, launder aprons, check on members who haven’t shown up in a while, and shoulder other tasks needed to keep the clubhouse humming.Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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The question is whether the Fed can help keep the economy out of a recession now that it’s begun cutting interest rates to keep the job market humming.Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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This little kitty purrs, walks, and even tumbles, giving my daughter all the fun of having another cat without the extra fur or midnight meows.Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 2 Nov. 2024
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Not all cats purr – some are physically unable to produce the vibrations.Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 2 Sep. 2024
Noun
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Wednesday’s report comes after earlier data showed the economy added a whopping 254,000 jobs in September, inflation is a whisper away from the Federal Reserve’s 2% target and consumer confidence jumped this month by the fastest clip since March of 2021 — all signs of a robust economy.Alexandra Banner, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
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There was also a missed opportunity during the Tribal whispers portion of the evening.Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The Peaky Blinders movie continues to build buzz and here’s a first look of Saltburn star Barry Keoghan, who joins the cast for the feature.Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
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The buzz Reminder: Williams is still a rookie, three weeks shy of his 23rd birthday and still only seven games into his NFL career.Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near whir
Cite this Entry
“Whir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whir. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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