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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

Etymology

Origin of zoom¹

First recorded in 1885–90; imitative

Origin of Zoom²

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

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

Tractors zoom around, fallen nuts are collected, and trucks cart off the bins of almonds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

So we tend to over include because we haven’t thought about the purpose of the zoom and determined who really needs to be part of that process.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The "create image" tool, rolled out Thursday, integrates Google's Nano Banana 2 image-generation technology to let users zoom into locations and build images in seconds based on Google Earth satellite, aerial and 3D-mapping data.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

The two workers scrolling through the photos on an iPad zoom in on teeth, tattoos, or scars.

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026

But at this moment there was a din of shouting and a zoom of heavy vehicles from somewhere to the left.

From "1984" by George Orwell

After our initial conversation, we speak again via Zoom in early August.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

Pet ownership spiked during the pandemic as social distancing and a loneliness that a Zoom call just couldn’t fix prompted people to get a pet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

"That's the reason why our meeting point is Zoom every week," she laughed.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

The power flares out when Lou is in a Zoom meeting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

“Any son of mine who’s having a Zoom bar mitzvah is going to have the best Zoom bar mitzvah it’s possible to have.”

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

After some back and forth, McElwee relented, letting Adrian try his slow zooms and dynamic shots.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

The camera then zooms into Beddoes' face and he pushes it away.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 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

The film suddenly zooms out, linearly, to two decades later.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026

The camera zooms in on my face and I cringe, spotting pimples and stray hairs.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio

Related Words

• buzz
• dart
• dash
• dive
• flash
• hurtle
• rocket
• shoot up
• skyrocket
• surge
• whirl
• whiz
• zip