thrum

1 of 4

verb (1)

thrummed; thrumming

intransitive verb

1
: to sound with a monotonous hum
2
: to play or pluck a stringed instrument idly : strum

transitive verb

1
: to play (something, such as a stringed instrument) in an idle or relaxed manner
2
: to recite tiresomely or monotonously

thrum

2 of 4

noun (1)

: the monotonous sound of thrumming

thrum

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
a(1)
: a fringe of warp threads left on the loom after the cloth has been removed
(2)
: one of these warp threads
b
: a tuft or short piece of rope yarn used in thrumming canvas
usually used in plural
c
2
: a hair, fiber, or threadlike leaf on a plant
also : a tuft or fringe of such structures
thrum adjective

thrum

4 of 4

verb (2)

thrummed; thrumming

transitive verb

1
: to furnish with thrums : fringe
2
: to insert short pieces of rope yarn or spun yarn in (a piece of canvas) to make a rough surface or a mat which can be wrapped about rigging to prevent chafing

Examples of thrum in a Sentence

Noun (1) the steady thrum of the turbines in the power plant
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
To make something that nobody could own, that nobody could put in a museum, but that could perform its own small resistance against an economy that thrummed along on the rails of commerce, of buying and buying and buying: That was the good. Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Tracking air hazards in Maryland In October, just outside of Pocomoke City, Maryland, near the Virginia border, industrial ventilation fans thrummed on clusters of poultry barns. Gavin Off, Charlotte Observer, 26 Jan. 2025
Noun
The movie thrums with life, and everybody in it has one — and the fact that they are all connected in intangible ways is both beautiful and terrifying. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025 Far from the pounding thrum of party music and the clamor of tipsy conversations, Konanki and Joshua Steven Riibe waded waist-deep into the water and shared a kiss, based on an account of the events Riibe relayed to investigators. Alaa Elassar, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thrum

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

imitative

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old English -thrum (in tungethrum ligament of the tongue); akin to Old High German drum fragment

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1592, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun (1)

1798, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrum was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrum. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

thrum

verb
ˈthrəm
thrummed; thrumming
: to sound or speak with a steady or boring rhythm
thrum noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!