buzzer
gb/bˈʌzɚ/ us/bˈʌzɚ/
A2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
device that makes a buzzing sound
A small part of a machine that makes a buzzing noise.
Usage pattern:
a buzzer on/in [device]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the noun buzzer (the device) with the verb buzz (to make the sound).
Synonyms
alarm (More general; an alarm may use sound, light, or both.)
|
sounder (Technical term for a device that produces sound.)
Collocations
loud buzzer
|electric buzzer
|alarm buzzer
|buzzer sounds
|buzzer goes off
|buzzer circuit
|buzzer module
|buzzer inside the unit
|faulty buzzer
|install a buzzer
Themes
technology
|electronics
|daily_life
Examples
- The microwave’s buzzer beeped to tell us the food was ready.
- A warning light flashed and a buzzer sounded when the door was left open.
- The technician replaced the buzzer because it had stopped working.
Learner examples
- The buzzer is very loud.
- I heard the buzzer in the kitchen.
Noun
A2
entity
2
door-entry bell or intercom
A button at a door that you press to call someone inside.
Usage pattern:
ring the buzzer for [apartment]/buzz [someone] in
Common mistake:
Learners may say 'call the buzzer'; in English you usually 'ring the buzzer' or 'press the buzzer.'
Synonyms
doorbell (Often a simple bell; a buzzer is common in apartment entry systems.)
|
intercom (Emphasizes two-way communication; a buzzer may be only the alert.)
Collocations
door buzzer
|front-door buzzer
|entry buzzer
|apartment buzzer
|ring the buzzer
|press the buzzer
|broken buzzer
|buzzer system
|buzzer code
|buzzer panel
Themes
home
|housing
|daily_life
Examples
- Press the buzzer and I’ll let you in.
- The door buzzer hasn’t worked since the power cut.
- Delivery drivers often ring the wrong buzzer in this building.
Learner examples
- Please ring the buzzer.
- The buzzer is next to the door.
Noun
B1
entity
3
button used to answer first
A button you press in a quiz to answer.
Usage pattern:
hit/press the buzzer
Common mistake:
A 'buzzer' is the device/button, not the person; say 'press the buzzer,' not 'press the buzzer person.'
Synonyms
signaling button (More descriptive; less common in everyday speech.)
Collocations
press the buzzer
|hit the buzzer
|buzzer round
|buzzer question
|buzzer system
|fast on the buzzer
|first to the buzzer
|buzzer lights up
|buzzer sounds
|buzzer malfunction
Themes
games
|education
|entertainment
Examples
- She was first to the buzzer on every question.
- Don’t press the buzzer until you’re sure of the answer.
- The buzzer system failed, so the judge had to decide who was first.
Learner examples
- I pressed the buzzer.
- He was quick on the buzzer.
Noun
B2
event
4
sound signaling end of play
A loud sound that tells you time is finished in a game.
Usage pattern:
the buzzer sounds
Common mistake:
In sports, 'the buzzer' can mean the sound or the moment time ends; context makes it clear.
Synonyms
horn (Common in arenas; not always literally a buzzer.)
|
siren (Often a wailing sound; used in some sports settings.)
Collocations
the buzzer sounds
|before the buzzer
|after the buzzer
|beat the buzzer
|at the buzzer
|final buzzer
|buzzer horn
|buzzer goes
|buzzer time
|buzzer signal
Themes
sports
|time
Examples
- He got the shot off just before the buzzer.
- The referee waved it off because the buzzer had already sounded.
- Fans cheered when the final buzzer ended the game.
Learner examples
- The buzzer ended the game.
- She scored before the buzzer.
Noun
B2
entity
5
pager or alert device
A small device that buzzes to tell you something.
Usage pattern:
a buzzer for [table]/[staff]
Common mistake:
A 'buzzer' can mean a pager or a restaurant paging device; in many contexts, 'pager' is clearer.
Synonyms
pager (More specific; especially for medical/work use.)
|
beeper (Common term for a pager; slightly dated in some places.)
Collocations
a pager buzzer
|restaurant buzzer
|table buzzer
|staff buzzer
|handheld buzzer
|buzzer vibrates
|the buzzer went off
|carry a buzzer
|wait for the buzzer
|buzzer number
Themes
technology
|work
|restaurants
Examples
- They gave us a buzzer and told us to wait until it vibrated.
- The nurse’s buzzer went off during the meeting.
- Keep the buzzer with you in case a customer needs assistance.
Learner examples
- We got a buzzer at the restaurant.
- My buzzer went off.
Noun
informal
C1
entity
6
bee (informal nickname)
An informal word for a bee.
Usage pattern:
a buzzer in/around [place]
Common mistake:
This is informal and not universal; 'bee' is the safer, standard word.
Synonyms
bee (Standard term.)
Collocations
little buzzer
|a buzzer in the garden
|hear the buzzers
|buzzers around the flowers
Themes
nature
|animals
Examples
- A couple of buzzers were hovering over the lavender.
- He flinched when a buzzer flew close to his ear.
Grammar
Expressions
at the buzzer
1/ˈæt ðə bˈʌzɚ/
fixed phrase
at the very last moment
Exactly when time finishes.
Examples
- He released the ball at the buzzer, and it dropped in.
- The score was tied at the buzzer.
- They called a timeout with one second left, right at the buzzer.
beat the buzzer
1/bˈit ðə bˈʌzɚ/
idiom
finish just before time ends
To finish at the last moment.
Examples
- She beat the buzzer with a last-second three-pointer.
- We beat the buzzer and submitted the application five minutes before midnight.
- He sped up to beat the buzzer before the store closed.
buzzer-beater
1/bˈʌzɚ bˈitɚ/
fixed phrase
last-second scoring shot
A score made at the last second.
Examples
- He hit a buzzer-beater to win the game.
- The crowd erupted after her buzzer-beater from half court.
- That buzzer-beater sent the team to the finals.
the final buzzer
1/ðə fˈaɪnəl bˈʌzɚ/
fixed phrase
end of the game
The moment a game ends.
Examples
- After the final buzzer, the players shook hands.
- The coach argued with the referee even after the final buzzer.
- They were leading by two at the final buzzer.