whir

American  

[hwur, wur] / ʰwɜr, wɜr /

Or whirr

verb (used without object)

whirred, whirring

1. to go, fly, revolve, or otherwise move quickly with a humming or buzzing sound.

   An electric fan whirred softly in the corner.

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verb (used with object)

whirred, whirring

1. to move or transport (a thing, person, etc.) with a whirring sound.

   The plane whirred them away into the night.

noun

1. an act or sound of whirring.

   the whir of wings.

whir British  

/ wɜː /

noun

1. a prolonged soft swish or buzz, as of a motor working or wings flapping

2. a bustle or rush

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verb

1. to make or cause to make a whir

Etymology

Origin of whir

1350–1400; Middle English quirre ( Scots ) < Scandinavian; compare Danish hvirre, Norwegian kvirra. See whirl

Example Sentences

"I have to import from overseas," 23-year-old Dinh, who only gave one name, explained over the whir of heavy machinery.

From Barron's • Dec. 16, 2025

A symphonic mix of an espresso machine’s hiss, a ravenous juicer’s whir and ebullient Spanish welcomed me at my new favorite, Las Olas Cafe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

Left in the darkened closet, Starr testified she heard the whir of an electric drill as the intruder boarded up the doors with sheets of plywood.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2025

A whir of arms, a flick of his wrist, and the ball has hit you before you know it.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2025

The huge generators were in motion and from the L-tubes came the low-pitched whir that pervaded the entire station.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov