burr 1 of 2

noun

ˈbər How to pronounce burr (audio)
Definition of burrnext
as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion heard the burr of a distant engine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

burr

2 of 2

verb

as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound the pitch burred past the batter's ear

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 burr
Noun
At another plant in Singapore, Polen says, BD had been discarding about 200 needles each shift, for 50 years, because they’d get clogged in the sandblasting process used to remove metal burrs. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 22 May 2026 Entry-level burr grinders run $30 to $150 and pay for themselves within weeks. — Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2026 Burr grinders crush coffee beans evenly between two steel or ceramic burrs. — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 May 2026 Naturalists note the golf course’s rolling hills host burr trees, cross country skiing trails, coyote paths and other scenic draws. — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for burr
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burr
  1. hum
  2. buzz
  3. purr
  4. zip
  5. rustle
  6. whisper
Noun
  • Jane Marsching, swathed in a deep-blue apron printed with white leaves, hums beneath a linden tree.
    — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The spa Floating above the turquoise waters, the spa is made up of a reception and five different treatment huts—each one soundtracked by the hum of the ocean.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of hum
Verb
  • By morning, firefighting aircraft were back in the air dropping water on the Bryson fire in Malibu while the sound of generators purchased by outage-weary residents and business owners buzzed through the canyons.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Matières Fécales and Christian Louboutin’s shoes have been receiving some celebrity buzz lately.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of buzz
Noun
  • Highlights and experiences It is always a special event stepping out of Venice’s airport onto a pontoon and a polished mahogany water taxi that drops you off canalside near your hotel, after a purr through the Grand Canal.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Kimie Smothermon begins each day greeted by the squeals, chirps and purrs of nearly 400 guinea pigs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of purr
Verb
  • This fully electric, ultra-compact quadricycle is designed for short urban trips—like zipping down to the shops in a golf cart, but more stylish—offering a simpler alternative to traditional cars.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Considering that the whiskers are only 200 mm long, this means that the drones cannot go zipping through unmapped terrain at high speeds.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of zip
Noun
  • The full textile experience, after all, is multisensory—visual, tactile, and sometimes auditory (think of taffeta’s distinctive rustle).
    — Leslie Camhi, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Still, Polk’s family found peace there, watching big owls swoop down and falling asleep to the rustle of two acres of trees.
    — Austyn Gaffney, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of rustle
Noun
  • Monday was a perfect example, when the two biggest drags on the S&P 500 were Nvidia and Micron, but were offset almost to the penny by gains in Apple and Meta, helping the index itself to finish a whisper from unchanged.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Lance Leipold has heard the whispers through the years that perhaps Kansas’ football coach doesn’t place enough emphasis on the yearly Sunflower Showdown against Kansas State.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of whisper

Browse Nearby Words

burps
burr
burred
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Cite this Entry

“Burr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burr. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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