Definition of STRUMMING (original) (raw)

transitive verb

1

a

: to brush the fingers over the strings of (a musical instrument) in playing

b

: to play (music) on a stringed instrument

2

: to cause to sound vibrantly

winds strummed the rigging—H. A. Chippendale

Examples of strum in a Sentence

Verb

He strummed a tune on the guitar.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

When the track properly kicks in, the punchy bassline takes center stage in the mix while the higher drums, guitar strums, and vocals settle further in the background. —PCMAG, 26 Nov. 2024 Learning to play guitar through those tracks was an act of communion, every strum bringing him closer to his father John Lennon, who was killed in December 1980. —Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024

Learn to strum a new song each day of the coming year, from the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac to traditional folk music. —Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024 The Brothers Four Katharine Hepburn Cultural Art Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook The Brothers Four were part of the folk boom of the 1950s and ‘60s and are still harmonizing and strumming nearly 70 years after the group was founded. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strum

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1764, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1777, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of strum was in 1764

Dictionary Entries Near strum

Cite this Entry

“Strum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strum. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.

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Last Updated: 17 Dec 2024 - Updated example sentences

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