Listen:
Inflections of 'hum ' (v ): (⇒ conjugate )hums v 3rd person singular humming v pres p hummed v past hummed v past p
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025 hum /hʌm/USA pronunciation
v., hummed, hum•ming, n., interj. v.
to make a low, continuous sound; drone:[ no object] bees humming in the garden.
to sing with closed lips, without pronouncing words: [ no object] He was humming quietly to himself. [ ~ + object] He hummed a tune.
to give forth an unclear sound of mixed voices or noises:[ no object] The crowded room was humming.
to be in a state of busy activity:[ no object] The household was humming with wedding preparations.
n. [ countable ]
the act or sound of humming.
interj.
This word is used to express hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, a moment of thinking, etc.
hum•mer , n. [ countable ]
-hum-, root. -hum- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "ground.'' This meaning is found in such words as: exhume, humble, humiliate, humility, humus, posthumous .
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 hum
(hum),USA pronunciation v., hummed, hum•ming, n., interj. v.i.
to make a low, continuous, droning sound.
to give forth an indistinct sound of mingled voices or noises.
to utter an indistinct sound in hesitation, embarrassment, dissatisfaction, etc.; hem.
to sing with closed lips, without articulating words.
to be in a state of busy activity:The household hummed in preparation for the wedding.
British Terms to have a bad odor, as of stale perspiration.
v.t.
to sound, sing, or utter by humming:to hum a tune.
to bring, put, etc., by humming:to hum a child to sleep.
n.
the act or sound of humming; an inarticulate or indistinct murmur; hem.
Sound Reproduction [ Audio.] an unwanted low-frequency sound caused by power-line frequencies in any audio component.
interj.
(an inarticulate sound uttered in contemplation, hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, etc.)
1300–50; Middle English; ultimately imitative; cognate with German hummen to hum; compare humblebee
5.See corresponding entry in Unabridged bustle, buzz.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
hum / hʌm / (hums , humming , hummed )(intransitive ) to make a low continuous vibrating sound like that of a prolonged m (intransitive ) (of a person) to sing with the lips closed (intransitive ) to utter an indistinct sound, as in hesitation; hem (intransitive ) to be in a state of feverish activity (intransitive ) to smell unpleasant hum and haw ⇒ See hem 2 3 a low continuous murmuring sound an undesired low-frequency noise in the output of an amplifier or receiver, esp one caused by the power supply , an indistinct sound of hesitation, embarrassment, etc; hem Etymology: 14th Century: of imitative origin; compare Dutch hommelen, Old High German humbal bumblebee
'hum ' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
'hum'
[accelerated] hum
a little ho, hum, kitchen sink
betrayed her against the hum of the machinery
clip clop and spindle-hum
filled up by the low, vague hum of number
ho-hum
ho-hum reception
hub and hum
Hum a song
hum along
Hum and haw
hum and haw- short and long
hum bloody drum life
hum is splitting apart the bones
hum it !
hum of efficiency and competence / executed in the hushed tones ....
hum or croon the tune
hum with
Hum, croon, chant or sing
hum, drone, rumble
in the scarcely breathing silence, the absent-minded, soliloquizing hum or whistle, of absorbed concentration.
in the scarcely breathing silence, the absent-minded, soliloquizing hum or whistle, of absorbed concentration.
Low hum
OM the jewel in the lotus HUM
Ould Hum ; bumpsy
Our factories hum to the thythm ...
take your shoes off and hum
The hum was less now.
"The sunlight had the hum of winnowed chaff"
more...
Look up "hum" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "hum" at dictionary.com
Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks.
In other languages: Spanish | French | Italian | Portuguese | Romanian | German | Dutch | Swedish | Russian | Polish | Czech | Greek | Turkish | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | Arabic