drummer

noun

drum·​mer ˈdrə-mər How to pronounce drummer (audio)
Synonyms of drummernext
1
: one that plays a drum
—sometimes used figuratively in phrases denoting unconventional thought or action
march to a different drummer
2
: traveling salesman

Examples of drummer in a Sentence

The band got a new drummer.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Everyone in the band, even their rotating cast of drummers, knows this. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 According to drummer Alex González, the residency will be somewhat nostalgic for the band. — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 The band started sessions for a new album in 1977, but the process was interrupted by Linda’s pregnancy and the departure of guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Joe English. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026 On the previous episode of Lipps Service, Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin chronicled the band’s earliest days and the making of Gish to the groundbreaking albums Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drummer

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drummer was in 1574

Phrases Containing drummer

Rhymes for drummer

See All Rhymes for drummer

Browse Nearby Words

drum majorette
drummer
drummock
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drummer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drummer. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

drummer

noun
drum·​mer ˈdrəm-ər How to pronounce drummer (audio)
1
: one that plays a drum
2
: traveling salesman

More from Merriam-Webster on drummer

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for drummer

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All