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• zoom
  zoom

  verb (used without object)

  to move quickly or suddenly with a loud humming or buzzing sound.
• Zoom
  Zoom

  a brand name for a software application and online service that enables voice and video phone calls over the internet.

zoom

¹ American  

[zoom] / zum /

verb (used without object)

1. to move quickly or suddenly with a loud humming or buzzing sound.

   cars zooming by on the freeway.

   Synonyms:

   flash, streak, speed, buzz

2. to fly an airplane suddenly and sharply upward at great speed for a short distance, as in regaining altitude, clearing an obstacle, or signaling.

3. Movies, Television. to bring a subject, scene, etc., into closeup or cause it to recede into a long shot using a zoom lens and while maintaining focus.

4. Informal. to increase or rise suddenly and sharply.

   Rents would zoom without rent control laws.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause (an airplane) to zoom.

2. to fly over (an obstacle) by zooming.

noun

• zooms
  plural

1. the act or process of zooming.

2. a zooming sound.

3. Informal. zoom lens.

4. Also called zoom shot. Movies, Television. a shot in which a subject, scene, or action is brought closer or made to recede by the use of a zoom lens.

verb phrase

1. zoom in (on)

   1. to bring (a subject, scene, etc.) into closeup by using a zoom lens.

      to zoom in for a look at the injured man; to zoom in on a candidate at a political convention.

   2. to examine more closely or in greater detail; focus on.

      The panel zoomed in on the subject of abortion.

Zoom ² American  

[zoom] / zum /

Trademark.

1. a brand name for a software application and online service that enables voice and video phone calls over the internet.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to participate in a real-time conversation with (one or more people) using Zoom.

   Yesterday the kids Zoomed their grandparents in Florida.

   We Zoom with remote staff during our Friday meetings.

zoom British  

/ zuːm /

verb

1. to make or cause to make a continuous buzzing or humming sound

2. to move or cause to move with such a sound

3. (intr) to move very rapidly; rush

   we zoomed through town

4. to cause (an aircraft) to climb briefly at an unusually steep angle, or (of an aircraft) to climb in this way

5. (intr) (of prices) to rise rapidly

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noun

1. the sound or act of zooming

2. See zoom lens

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• zooms
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of zoom¹

First recorded in 1885–90; imitative

Origin of Zoom²

First recorded in 2010–15; shortening of Zoom Video Communications

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Explanation

Zoom zoom! This is a word for things moving quickly, either up or in a line. When you hear zoom, think fast. Zoom is a word that can be a sound effect, a noun, or a verb. In comic books, you might see a spaceship taking off with a word bubble saying ZOOM!. Fast cars can zoom; airplanes can zoom. You could say, "In one zoom, we were in the air!" Zooming can also mean to move while making a low humming noise that sounds like zoom. Like boom, zoom is a fun word: it's hard to say Zoom zoom! and be in a bad mood.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

zoom Zoom zooms

The title of the limited run has yet to be announced, but Dunham did ask her fellow cast on the mock zoom call, "can we still call it Girls?"

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

At the end of a slow zoom shot, we see the article’s title in Italian until it’s translated for us in English: “A Machine Has Been Invented That Photographs the Past.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Others zoom in on parts of the costume and post conspiracy theories about Mike Myers, who played the character in the 2003 film, being trapped inside.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

One early sign of that might be when auto insurer valuations zoom higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Freddy, who wants to zoom to the moon.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

“I want to really promote finding your real-life community,” Monáe says during a Zoom call ahead of the festive run.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

“If they’re a creep on Zoom, then I’m not meeting with them in person,” Avi says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

When we speak to Dr Sim over Zoom from her home, her two dogs are curled up in their beds at her feet.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

That’s what we did in our recent Zoom conversation about the mythic creator, writer and actor who has haunted us for most of a century by changing TV for the better.

From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026

He peers at me intently, and even over Zoom, I can tell he understands why I need to do this.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Metro zooms out to "extreme weather" events impacting people "at home and abroad", carrying the story of "1 million Chinese forced to flee Typhoon Dolphin as Britain braces for yet another 36C heatwave".

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

She throws a different leather handbag onto the passenger seat of her car, pulls on a pair of black leather driving gloves, and zooms off.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

Over the next eight seconds, as the ball zooms from side to side, four different Knicks find their way into the lane.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

“Nevertheless, I personally don’t think you can short stocks right now until bonds re-break, or chase back into positioning zooms to ‘extreme greedy/ FOMO’ behavior first,” said the strategist.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 16, 2026

A boy zooms toward me on a dirt bike wearing a Celtics jersey with a hoodie underneath, clear beads on his braids.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

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