buzz

/bəz/
/bəz/
IPA guide

Other forms: buzzing; buzzed; buzzes

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.

Definitions of buzz
  1. noun
    sound of rapid vibration
    “the buzz of a bumble bee”
    synonyms: bombilation, bombination
    see moresee less
    type of:
    sound
    the sudden occurrence of an audible event
  2. verb
    make a buzzing sound
    “bees were buzzing around the hive”
    synonyms: bombilate, bombinate
    see moresee less
    type of:
    go, sound
    make a certain noise or sound
  3. verb
    call with a buzzer
    “he buzzed the servant”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    summon
    ask to come
  4. verb
    be noisy with activity
    “This office is buzzing with activity”
    synonyms: hum, seethe
    see moresee less
    types:
    pullulate, swarm, teem
    be teeming, be abuzz
    crawl
    be full of
    type of:
    be
    have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
  5. noun
    a confusion of activity and gossip
    “the buzz of excitement was so great that a formal denial was issued”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    activity
    any specific behavior
  6. verb
    fly low
    “Planes buzzed the crowds in the square”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    fly, wing
    travel through the air; be airborne
Pronunciation
US
/bəz/
UK
/bəz/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘buzz'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of gold-punch.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing buzz

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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 8

Check out this list of sampled words William Shakespeare is credited with coining or first putting into print. Here are links to our lists in the collection: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6, List 7, List 8

Buzzwords for National Honey Bee Day

Celebrate this critical species by learning these buzz-worthy words related to honey bees. Then try a spelling bee!

"The Human Machine" and "My Fabulous Footprint"

Learn these words from the science article by Catherine Stephens and the poem (Inside: Level B, Unit 4). Here are our links to the selections of "Every Body Is a Winner": The Human Machine; My Fabulous Footprint, The Beat Goes On; All Pumped Up, Two Left Feet, Two Left Hands, How Coach Told Me; Bionics Here are our links to the units of Level B: Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8 Here are our links to the Inside books: Level A, Level B, Level C Here is our link to a list of academic vocabulary for Inside: Academic Vocabulary

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