humming

[huhm-ing]

adjective

1. making a droning sound; buzzing.

2. very busy; briskly active.

   a humming office.

Other Word Forms

• hummingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of humming¹

First recorded in 1570–80; hum + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Just thinking about it prompted Penelope to start humming the wordless little sea chantey that Simon had been whistling earlier.

Read more on Literature

Except for the sound of Mama humming and the clinking of dishes as she washed them in the sink, the house was quiet.

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Crime in New York City has hit record lows over the past year, and its postpandemic economy is humming as employers push workers to return to offices.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But at the sprawling Darsana facility near the Indian border, humming machines fill bottles.

Read more on Barron's

Baltimore, a major hub for Southwest but not a mega hub in the Atlanta or Chicago sense, was humming Monday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal