buzz

American  

[buhz] / bʌz /

noun

• buzzes
  plural

1. a low, vibrating, humming sound, as of bees, machinery, or people talking.

2. Informal. a rumor or report.

   There's a buzz going around that he'll soon be fired.

3. Informal. a phone call.

   When I find out, I'll give you a buzz.

4. Slang.

   1. a feeling of intense enthusiasm, interest, excitement, or exhilaration: Their ads are generating plenty of buzz.

      I get a terrific buzz from those Pacific sunsets.

      Their ads are generating plenty of buzz.

   2. a feeling of slight intoxication or overstimulation from liquor or drugs.

      Too much caffeine gives me a buzz.

5. buzzcut.

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verb (used without object)

• buzzes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• buzzed,
  past participle,  past
• buzzing
  present participle

1. to make a low, vibrating, humming sound.

2. to speak or murmur with such a sound.

3. to be filled with the sound of buzzing or whispering.

   The room buzzed.

4. to whisper; gossip.

   Everyone is buzzing about the scandal.

5. to move busily from place to place.

6. Slang. to go; leave (usually followed by off oralong ): Tell him to buzz off and leave me alone.

   I'll buzz along now.

   Tell him to buzz off and leave me alone.

verb (used with object)

• buzzes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• buzzed,
  past participle,  past
• buzzing
  present participle

1. to make a buzzing sound with.

   The fly buzzed its wings.

2. to tell or spread (a rumor, gossip, etc.) secretively.

3. to signal or summon with a buzzer.

   He buzzed his assistant.

4. Informal. to make a phone call to.

5. Aeronautics.

   1. to fly a plane very low over.

      to buzz a field.

   2. to signal or greet (someone) by flying a plane low and slowing the motor spasmodically.

idioms

1. have / get a buzz on, to be slightly intoxicated.

   After a few beers they all had a buzz on.

buzz British  

/ bʌz /

noun

1. a rapidly vibrating humming sound, as that of a prolonged z or of a bee in flight

2. a low sound, as of many voices in conversation

3. a rumour; report; gossip

4. informal a telephone call

   I'll give you a buzz

5. slang

   1. a pleasant sensation, as from a drug such as cannabis

   2. a sense of excitement; kick

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verb

1. (intr) to make a vibrating sound like that of a prolonged z

2. (intr) to talk or gossip with an air of excitement or urgency

   the town buzzed with the news

3. (tr) to utter or spread (a rumour)

4. to move around quickly and busily; bustle

5. (tr) to signal or summon with a buzzer

6. informal (tr) to call by telephone

7. informal (tr)

   1. to fly an aircraft very low over (an object)

      to buzz a ship

   2. to fly an aircraft very close to or across the path of (another aircraft), esp to warn or intimidate

8. (tr) (esp of insects) to make a buzzing sound with (wings, etc)

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• buzzing
  noun
• buzzingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• buzzes
  plural

Participles

• buzzing
  present
• buzzed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• buzz
  simple
• buzzes
  simple
• have buzzed
  perfect
• has buzzed
  perfect
• am buzzing
  progressive
• are buzzing
  progressive
• is buzzing
  progressive
• have been buzzing
  perfect progressive
• has been buzzing
  perfect progressive

Past

• buzzed
  simple
• had buzzed
  perfect
• was buzzing
  progressive
• were buzzing
  progressive
• had been buzzing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will buzz
  simple
• will have buzzed
  perfect
• will be buzzing
  progressive
• will have been buzzing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of buzz

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English busse; imitative

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Explanation

A buzz is a vibrating sound, like the sound a bee makes. Your dog might get nervous in your yard when she hears the buzz of insects. Buzz can be a noun or a verb: "My doorbell started to buzz like crazy when everyone showed up for my party." You can also talk about a buzz of activity, a low background noise, or describe the way stunt planes buzz the trees, flying very low. You might tell someone to "buzz off" if you're annoyed with them — this began in 1914 as a way to describe hanging up a telephone — or telling someone to hang up.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

buzz buzzes buzzed buzzing

Much of the buzz around AI use for big productions started with a conference in Culver City called “AI on the Lot,” which started in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Waymo driverless taxis buzz around cities like San Francisco and Phoenix.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

There is a growing buzz around the youthful vice president.

From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026

Now, don’t get me wrong: The movie isn’t exactly garnering Oscar buzz, or even eliciting the fervent “you’ve got to see this!” refrain that followed 2014’s “Gone Girl” around.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

This is a worse buzz than the one at the front door.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

In “Trouble,” she buzzes with nervous energy, her dizzying delivery of Raphaelson’s smart dialogue creating the template for the screwball heroines soon to follow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

Back in Seoul, the market buzzes with tourists, and business is booming for Lee.

From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026

Instead chefs push a button that buzzes waiters’ watches to alert them to pick up food.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 13, 2025

A radio buzzes in the background with static and news of “that Hitler fella,” as the man says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025

We've moved about two blocks uptown when we hear a chorus of beeps and buzzes.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

Barely a day after our conversation, Haaland had buzzed it all off.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

And so, on a late morning in late August, I buzzed the seventh floor and rode the elevator straight into the belly of the beast.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026

One evening in early August, farmer Daniel Sizer's phone buzzed with a message.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

Social media buzzed with stories about how “magical” it was to get CDs in far-flung locations.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

Bubbe physically flinches as if a wasp has buzzed past her face and she’s had to dodge it.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

At Craven Cattle Mart on the outskirts of Skipton, North Yorkshire, the auction ring is buzzing as farmers from across the Yorkshire Dales and Pennine Moors come to buy and sell livestock.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Melvyn Moyes, who was in the city centre with his brother Ken to cheer on the team, described the atmosphere as "buzzing".

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

That’s had the private-credit industry buzzing about a potential deal, some of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

This sounds kind of self-sabotaging, but we met with Odd Future when they first were buzzing in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Everyone was scattered around the town, buzzing about King Barf and all his soldiers.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

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Related Words

• news
• rumble
• rumor
• whisper

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