whir

UK: /ˈ^hwɜː^r/ US: /hwɝ, wɝ/ ,(hwûr, wûr)

Inflections of 'whir' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

whirs

v 3rd person singular

whirring

v pres p

whirred

v past

whirred

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

whir or whirr /hwɜr, wɜr/   v., whirred, whir•ring, n. 
v. 

1. to move or spin quickly with a humming sound: [no object]
   The helicopter whirred directly overhead.
   [~ + object]
   She whirred the stone at the end of the string and then released it.

n. [countable]

2. an act or sound of whirring.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

whir  (hwûr, wûr), v., whirred, whir•ring, n. 
v.i. 

1. to go, fly, revolve, or otherwise move quickly with a humming or buzzing sound:
   An electric fan whirred softly in the corner.

v.t. 

2. to move or transport (a thing, person, etc.) with a whirring sound:
   The plane whirred them away into the night.

n. 

3. an act or sound of whirring:
   the whir of wings.

Also, whirr. 

• Scandinavian; compare Danish hvirre, Norwegian kvirra. See whirl
• Middle English quirre (Scots) 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

whir, whirr / wɜː/ noun

1. a prolonged soft swish or buzz, as of a motor working or wings flapping
2. a bustle or rush

verb (whirs, whirrs, whirring, whirred)

1. to make or cause to make a whir

Etymology: 14th Century: probably from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian kvirra, Danish hvirre; see whirl