Thesaurus results for WHIRRING

whirring

verb

present participle of whir

as in humming

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

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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 whirring There’s a quiet stillness in the harbor — the only sounds are of the occasional gull and car whirring by. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Lifestyle projectors have come a long way from the dim, whirring boxes that only really worked with the curtains drawn. — New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026 And if at times the movie comes off as a bit decorous and stiff, the actors, particularly Edgar-Jones and Creed-Miles, do their best to keep the proceedings whirring. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 Before the meeting started, an attendee asked a DEC employee by the sign-in table about the large industrial fans built into the gym’s walls, which were whirring noisily. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026 On a Wednesday night, the overhead lights are dimmed, the industrial fans are whirring and Chrishana Simon is gliding around the makeshift roller rink. — Debbie Elliott, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026 At night, breeze wafts through louvres, circulated by whirring ceiling fans. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026 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 In a noisier space, such as a plane or near whirring machinery, switching on the ANC is all but essential. — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirring

Verb

But all of that said, with over 325 million global subscribers, Netflix remains well positioned to keep its core streaming business humming along nicely, albeit at a somewhat less rapid clip, according to MoffettNathanson analyst Robert Fishman.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
The offense has been humming with Williams under center, averaging 31 points per game in his three starts.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of humming

Verb

La Parguera’s main square is buzzing with souvenir shops, street vendors, and local bars that stay lively well into the night.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
No wonder there are almost always flies buzzing around the depression, not to mention crunchy beetles and spiders that come to hunt the other invertebrates.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of buzzing

Browse Nearby Words

whirred

whirring

whirs

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“Whirring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirring. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of whirring

verb

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