buzz
buzz — verb
1. to produce a steady, low humming noise of the kind made by insects with fast-mov
to produce a steady, low humming noise of the kind made by insects with fast-moving wings, or by small electric devices.
A fat bee buzzed lazily around Sofia's strawberry jam at breakfast.
subject is an insect; typical SVO with adverb
The old fridge in Marcus's kitchen buzzes loudly every time it restarts.
buzz + adverb of manner (loudly)
Mosquitoes were buzzing near my ear all night, so I barely slept.
continuous tense for ongoing background sound
Lina's phone buzzed on the wooden table during the maths exam.
buzz on/in + location for vibrating devices
Outside the cabin, a small drone buzzed across the lake at sunset.
- buzz around
- buzz loudly
- buzz lazily
- buzz past someone's ear
Grammar Patterns
something buzzes
Usage Note
Subject is typically an insect, an electrical appliance, or a small flying machine. Often paired with adverbs of manner (loudly, lazily, angrily) or directional phrases (around, past, near).
Common Mistakes
2. to push a small button that makes a short electric sound, usually so that anothe
to push a small button that makes a short electric sound, usually so that another person notices you and comes to help or answer.
Mrs Chen buzzed for the nurse when her IV drip ran out.
buzz for + person you want to call
Just buzz me from reception and I'll come down to fetch you.
transitive: buzz + object (the person called)
The judge buzzed three times to silence the noisy courtroom.
On quiz night, Daniel buzzed first but gave the wrong capital city.
competitive context: press a buzzer to answer first
- buzz for the nurse
- buzz reception
- buzz the doctor
Grammar Patterns
buzz for someone
buzz someone
Usage Note
Frequently appears in hospital, hotel reception, intercom, and game-show contexts. The transitive form takes the called person as object (buzz me, buzz the doctor); the intransitive often pairs with 'for + person'.
Common Mistakes
3. to let a visitor enter a building remotely by pushing an intercom switch, which
to let a visitor enter a building remotely by pushing an intercom switch, which unlocks the door and lets out a short electric sound.
When the courier arrived, Hana buzzed him in from her flat upstairs.
buzz + object + 'in' (most common particle)
The security guard buzzed us through after checking our staff cards.
buzz + object + 'through' for inner doors
Could you buzz Dr Patel up to the eighth floor when she rings the bell?
buzz + object + 'up' for upper floors in residential blocks
I rang the intercom for ages before someone finally buzzed me in.
passive-style: get buzzed in
- buzz somebody in
- buzz somebody through
- buzz somebody up
- lock out
deliberately keep someone outside
Grammar Patterns
buzz somebody in / through / up
Usage Note
Always takes an object (the person being let in) plus a directional particle: in (most common), through, up. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense involves opening a door, not just signalling for attention.
Common Mistakes
4. to dart from one spot to another in a quick, lively way, the way a busy worker h
to dart from one spot to another in a quick, lively way, the way a busy worker handles many tasks at once.
Waiters buzzed around the wedding hall, refilling glasses and clearing plates.
typical pattern: buzz around + busy location
Kenji was buzzing between the kitchen and the dining room all evening.
buzz between A and B for shuttle-like movement
Excited children buzzed about the playground as soon as the bell rang.
On opening night, Maya buzzed from table to table greeting old friends.
buzz from X to X for repeated movement
- buzz around
- buzz about
- buzz between
- buzz from place to place
- loiter
stand or move slowly without purpose
Grammar Patterns
buzz around / about / between
Usage Note
Almost always followed by a directional adverb or preposition (around, about, between, from… to). The subject is usually a person, group of people, or animals — not an inanimate object.
Common Mistakes
5. (used of a venue) to feel alive with crowds, noise, or excited activity, so that
(used of a venue) to feel alive with crowds, noise, or excited activity, so that the very air seems to vibrate with energy.
On Friday nights, the night market in Tainan really buzzes with food lovers.
subject is a place; buzz + with + noun
The newsroom was buzzing the morning the election results came in.
continuous tense for the moment of liveliness
Backstage buzzed with nervous dancers stretching minutes before curtain-up.
buzz with + noun describing what fills the place
By eleven o'clock the rooftop bar was buzzing and every seat was taken.
- buzz with excitement
- buzz with activity
- buzz with conversation
- the place was buzzing
- be deserted
completely empty and quiet
Grammar Patterns
a place buzzes with something
Usage Note
Subject is always a place (market, office, bar, city). Distinguish from sense 4 (a person buzzes around) and sense 6 (a person's mind buzzes with thoughts). The 'with + noun' pattern names what fills the place.
Common Mistakes
6. (used of someone, or their head or mind) to feel crowded inside with quick, jumb
(used of someone, or their head or mind) to feel crowded inside with quick, jumbled thoughts that all demand attention at once.
After the job interview, Ravi's mind was buzzing with questions he forgot to ask.
mind / head + buzz + with + thoughts
Her head buzzed with wedding plans the whole train ride home.
I couldn't sleep — my brain was buzzing with ideas for the new song.
informal: brain buzzing with ideas
Sitting in the quiet library, Aiko felt her thoughts buzz uncontrollably.
thoughts as subject (less common variant)
- mind buzzing with
- head buzzing with
- thoughts buzzing
- go blank
the mind producing no thoughts at all
Grammar Patterns
someone's mind buzzes with something
Usage Note
Subject is almost always 'mind', 'head', 'brain', or 'thoughts' — not a place (sense 5) and not a person's body in motion (sense 4). Frequently followed by 'with + plural noun' naming the thoughts.
Common Mistakes
7. to chatter eagerly with other people about a piece of news, a rumour, or somethi
to chatter eagerly with other people about a piece of news, a rumour, or something exciting that has just happened.
The whole school was buzzing about Mei's surprise win at the science fair.
buzz about + noun for excited gossip
Reporters in the lobby buzzed with rumours that the minister would resign before noon.
buzz with + noun (rumours/news)
After the concert, fans buzzed excitedly about the singer's surprise duet with her brother.
The office had been buzzing all morning about who would replace the retiring CEO.
past continuous shows ongoing chatter
- buzz about a rumour
- buzz with excitement
- buzz with gossip
- the room was buzzing about
- gossip
often implies private or unverified talk; buzz is more public excitement
- chatter
neutral on tone; buzz adds an excited, energised feel
- abuzz (be ~ with)
adjective form expressing the same idea as a state
Grammar Patterns
buzz about + noun
buzz with + noun (rumours, gossip, news)
Usage Note
Subject is usually a group, place, or crowd rather than a single named person. Distinguish from sense 6 (MIND RACING): there the subject's mind buzzes with thoughts inside one head; here multiple people buzz aloud with shared talk.
Common Mistakes
8. to feel a strong, happy rush of energy inside yourself, often after something go
to feel a strong, happy rush of energy inside yourself, often after something good or thrilling has happened.
Lina was still buzzing two hours after winning her first marathon medal.
be buzzing for personal post-event excitement
Marcus walked off the stage buzzing with adrenaline and shaking his cousin's hand.
buzz with + adrenaline/energy
The team was buzzing after beating the league champions in extra time.
be buzzing after + event
Carlos felt his whole body buzzing as the rollercoaster pulled into the station.
- buzzing with excitement
- still buzzing
- buzzing after the game
- buzzing from the win
- thrilled
adjective form, similar feel but less bodily
- exhilarated
more formal; suggests a peak rush
- pumped
informal, especially American; emphasises readiness for action
- deflated
the opposite emotional state after a let-down
Grammar Patterns
buzz with + emotion (excitement, energy, adrenaline)
be buzzing (after / from / about)
Usage Note
Subject is the person or body itself, not a place or crowd — that distinguishes this from sense 5 (a place buzzing with activity). Frequently appears in the present continuous ('is/are buzzing') to describe a current high.
Common Mistakes
9. of a plane or its pilot, to sweep down and pass very close above a place, ship,
of a plane or its pilot, to sweep down and pass very close above a place, ship, or group of people, often as a show of force or a deliberate scare.
Two fighter jets buzzed the fishing boat just before sunrise on Tuesday.
buzz + vessel as a warning
The pilot buzzed his old farmhouse to wave at his mother in the yard.
buzz + place (informal personal use)
A small plane buzzed the beach so low that swimmers ducked into the water.
Naval helicopters buzzed the cargo ship for nearly an hour before turning back.
buzz + vehicle/ship in a military context
- buzz a ship
- buzz the crowd
- buzz a building
- fighter jets buzzing
- overfly
neutral and formal; lacks the close, threatening sense of buzz
- swoop over
emphasises the diving motion but not necessarily the warning
Grammar Patterns
buzz + place / people / building
Usage Note
Always transitive — the place or target follows the verb directly without a preposition ('buzzed the boat', not 'buzzed over the boat'). Subject must be an aircraft or its pilot; using 'buzz' with cars or boats moving close belongs to a different verb (e.g. 'tail').
Common Mistakes
10. to crop someone's hair down to a very short stubble by running electric clippers
to crop someone's hair down to a very short stubble by running electric clippers over their head.
The barber buzzed Diego's head before he left for basketball camp on Monday.
buzz + person's head with clippers
Aunt Rosa buzzed her son's hair on the back porch to save a trip to the salon.
buzz + somebody's hair
After losing the bet, Marcus let his teammates buzz his curls right down to the scalp.
The army recruits were buzzed in under three minutes each on the first morning.
passive: be buzzed (in a group / institution)
- buzz his head
- buzz her hair short
- buzz off the curls
- get buzzed at the barber's
Grammar Patterns
buzz + somebody / somebody's hair / somebody's head
Usage Note
Object is normally the person or their hair / head, not the clippers themselves. Common in American English and often paired with 'cut' as a noun ('a buzz cut'). Frequently passive when describing institutional contexts like the military.
Common Mistakes
buzz off
phrasal verban impolite way of telling someone to leave or stop bothering you, usually said when you are annoyed.
Buzz off, Tomas — I'm trying to finish my homework before dinner.
The grumpy shopkeeper told the teenagers to buzz off and stop loitering.
buzz around
phrasal verbto move from spot to spot in a busy, restless way, often without finishing one task before starting another.
Grandma buzzed around the kitchen all morning preparing the New Year feast.
Reporters buzzed around the actor as he stepped out of the hotel lobby.
buzz about
phrasal verbTo talk excitedly or with a lot of energy about something or someone.
The whole office was buzzing about the new project.
Why is everyone buzzing about that movie?
buzz — noun
1. a low, steady humming noise, like the one made by bees, flies, or some electrica
a low, steady humming noise, like the one made by bees, flies, or some electrical machines.
Marcus could hear the soft buzz of bees around the lavender bushes.
the buzz of [insects]
A faint buzz came from the old refrigerator in Aunt Rosa's kitchen.
a buzz from [machine]
The dentist switched on her drill, and a high buzz filled the small room.
Lina felt the steady buzz of the phone vibrating inside her coat pocket.
the buzz of [device] vibrating
- a faint buzz
- a low buzz
- the buzz of bees
- a steady buzz
- silence
complete absence of sound
Grammar Patterns
a buzz of [noun]
the buzz of [noun]
Usage Note
Subject is usually a small insect, a vibrating device, or an electrical appliance. Distinguish from sense 3 (busy atmosphere): a 'buzz' here is a literal sound you can hear with your ears.
Common Mistakes
2. a strong rush of excitement and pleasurable energy that comes over you while doi
a strong rush of excitement and pleasurable energy that comes over you while doing something enjoyable.
Sarah gets a real buzz from teaching her students how to paint.
get a buzz from + -ing
Climbing that frozen waterfall gave Marcus a huge buzz.
give someone a buzz from [activity]
There is nothing like the buzz of stepping onto the stage in front of a live audience.
the buzz of + -ing
Lina still feels a buzz every time her short film wins a small prize.
- get a buzz
- a real buzz
- a huge buzz
- feel a buzz
- boredom
the opposite feeling, when nothing excites you
Grammar Patterns
get a buzz from [noun/-ing]
give someone a buzz
Usage Note
Frequently follows 'get' or 'give', and pairs with 'from + activity'. Distinguish from sense 1 (humming sound): this is an internal feeling, not a sound. Distinguish from sense 4 (excited talk): sense 2 is what one person feels; sense 4 is what many people are saying.
Common Mistakes
3. the lively, energetic mood of a place where lots of people are moving around, ta
the lively, energetic mood of a place where lots of people are moving around, talking, and enjoying themselves.
On Friday nights the night market has a real buzz about it.
a buzz about [place]
Marcus loves the buzz of busy coffee shops while he works on his novel.
the buzz of [place]
There was a great buzz in the stadium an hour before the match started.
a buzz in [place]
The little fishing town loses its summer buzz once the tourists go home.
- a real buzz
- the buzz of the city
- have a buzz about it
- lose the buzz
- vibe
very informal; emphasises overall feeling rather than busy energy
- atmosphere
more neutral; can be calm or lively
- buzziness
rare; same idea but less natural in everyday speech
- calm
quiet, still atmosphere with little activity
Grammar Patterns
a buzz about a place
the buzz of [place/event]
Usage Note
Subject is usually a place full of people: a market, a city, a stadium, a bar. Distinguish from sense 2 (thrill feeling): sense 3 belongs to a location, not to a person. Often appears with 'about' or 'in' a place.
Common Mistakes
4. the excited, mostly positive things that lots of people are saying about a perso
the excited, mostly positive things that lots of people are saying about a person, product, or upcoming event.
There is a lot of buzz around Lina's new cooking show on social media.
buzz around [topic]
The young midfielder is creating quite a buzz among football scouts in Europe.
create a buzz among [group]
Marketing teams worked hard to build buzz before the new phone went on sale.
build buzz before [event]
Have you heard the buzz about the Watanabe family's new bakery on Main Street?
the buzz about [topic]
- create a buzz
- build buzz
- generate buzz
- the buzz around
- a lot of buzz
- silence
no public talk or attention at all
Grammar Patterns
a buzz about [noun]
the buzz around [noun]
Usage Note
Subject of the buzz is usually a new product, film, restaurant, or rising person. Often combines with verbs like 'create', 'build', 'generate', or 'be'. Distinguish from sense 3 (lively atmosphere): sense 4 is talk happening across many people and channels, not the mood inside one place.
Common Mistakes
give someone a buzz
idiomto make a quick phone call to someone, usually in a friendly, informal way.
Give me a buzz when you arrive at the station, and I will come and pick you up.
Marcus said he would give Sarah a buzz later to confirm dinner plans.
the buzz is that
idiomused to introduce a piece of exciting news or rumour that many people are sharing.
The buzz is that Lina's bakery will open a second branch in Taipei next spring.
Around the office, the buzz is that the manager is leaving at the end of the year.
Word family
- buzzernounB2
- buzzingadjectiveB2
- buzzyadjectiveC1
- abuzzadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All five describe a continuous, vibrating sound, but they differ in pitch, source, and feel. Buzz is the higher-pitched, slightly rough noise of bees, flies, or small electric devices — short and a bit jagged ('a wasp buzzed past my ear'). Hum is softer, lower, and more even, often pleasant or even soothing ('the fridge hummed quietly all night'). Drone is the longest and most monotonous of the group, frequently with a negative connotation of dullness ('the drone of distant traffic'). Whirr describes a faster, mechanical vibration from rotating parts like fans, helicopter blades, or shutters ('the camera whirred as it focused'). Whine is highest-pitched and complaining in tone, often from strained engines or mosquitoes ('the jet engines whined on takeoff'). Choose buzz when the sound is insect-like or comes from a small electrical signal; choose drone for low monotony, whine for thin high pitch.
Common collocations
Etymology
An echoic word — that is, one whose sound imitates the thing it describes. English speakers began using 'buzz' in the 16th century to copy the rough, vibrating noise of bees and flies; the spelling with double 'z' helps suggest the long, droning quality of the sound. Over time the word stretched from insect noises to electrical hums, then to the figurative 'buzz' of an excited crowd or an inner thrill of energy, and most recently to the marketing sense of public excitement around a new product.