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 Vocabulary.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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