whirring
63
4.4
- noun
- /ˈwɜːrɪŋ/
:
zumbido
- As she's driving, she hears the whirring of helicopter blades.
- whirring of wings
Examples
-
There is silence except for the faint whirring of the tape recorder.
Fiction book (1994) -
But at this moment, the whirring of its motor is about the only substantial sound I can hear.
Fiction book (1996) -
One afternoon, they hear a loud whirring noise. They see a plane flying low over their land.
Academic text (2011) -
I listened to the whirring of Manther's tattoo gun, a few houses down from me.
Fiction book (1997) -
There is a sudden barrage of whirring and clicking sounds as the vault unlocks.
Fiction book (1994) -
Despite the consistent whirring of the ceiling fan, the silence seems unwieldy, growing oppressive by the moment.
Fiction book (2000) -
A rapid whirring came from the depths of the device: Barker raised one quizzical eyebrow.
Fiction book (1993) -
Back down the pier, there was the whirring sound of fishermen casting their lines, spinning out hooks into the darkness.
Fiction book (1995) -
I didn't half like being so closely related to every flapping sparrow and whirring beetle.
Fiction book (1992) -
As I sat at my desk, the whirring of the printer filled the room, creating a low, steady sound.
Synonyms
64
1.0
A low steady sound like bees or a machine
11
3.7
A soft, continuous sound made by something turning or moving fast
4
7.4
A soft, steady buzzing sound from things that move fast like fan blades
A soft whirring sound made by something moving quickly
A low steady buzzing sound made by insects or machines
A constant buzzing sound from machines or insects
Antonyms
How Loud
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Whirring comes from the old sound word whir, which was made to copy the soft, fast noise of things that spin. So, a whirring is the steady, low 'buzz' you hear from a fan, machine, or busy wings.