throng

noun \ ˈthrȯŋ \

|Updated on: 13 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: throng in a Sentence

Definition of throng

1 a : a multitude of assembled persons

b : a large number : host

2 a : a crowding together of many persons

b : a pressing increase of activity

this throng of business
—S. R. Crockett

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See throng defined for kids

Examples of throng in a Sentence

grabbed a megaphone and addressed the vast throng

Recent Examples of throng from the Web

Five keepers in particular stand out among the talented throng: Germany’s Manuel Neuer, Spain’s David De Gea, Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas, France’s Hugo Lloris, and Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois.

— alex ward, Vox, "9 questions about the 2018 World Cup you were too embarrassed to ask," 12 June 2018
Security personnel had to open a path for Trump through a throng of journalists and cameramen.

— rob gillies, Fox News, "Trump disrupts G-7 gender equality meeting by arriving late," 9 June 2018
Security personnel had to open a path for Trump through a throng of journalists and cameramen.

— rob gillies, The Seattle Times, "Trump disrupts G-7 gender equality meeting by arriving late," 9 June 2018
For his remix, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. waded in with — what else — a lead guitar, and later a throng of them, wailing and screeching toward a distortion supernova.

— jon pareles, New York Times, "The Playlist: The 1975 Talk About Its Generation, and 9 More New Songs," 1 June 2018
The cacophony of the theater, throngs of people, and pops of the popcorn machine might dredge up memories of panic and gunfire.

— Daily Intelligencer, "This Unique Approach to Veteran Wellness Puts Family First," 24 May 2018
Laura Benedict, winds through the throngs, blond bangs peeking out from her purple baseball cap.

— meadow rue merrill, BostonGlobe.com, "How giving food away saved a Maine restaurant," 4 Apr. 2018
Paul McCartney was among the massive throng of people out marching Saturday morning (March 24) for gun control.

— ryan parker, Billboard, "Paul McCartney Remembers John Lennon During March For Our Lives: Watch," 24 Mar. 2018
Come to thine own anointed throng, Stalking with Liberty along, And chaunt thy dauntless slogan song, Maryland!

— doug donovan, baltimoresun.com, "The debate over Maryland's state song is a familiar refrain," 15 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'throng.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of throng

Middle English throng, thrang "mass, press," going back to Old English *thrang or gethrang (with ge-, collective prefix), going back to West Germanic *þrang- (whence Middle Dutch gedranc "crowd, press," dranc, drang "pressure," Old High German gidrang "crowd, mass"), noun ablaut derivative from the base of Germanic *þrengan-,*þrenhan- "to press" (whence Old Saxon thringan "to press, urge," Old High German dringan, thringan, Old Norse þryngva "to press, crowd," Gothic þreihan), going back to dialectal Indo-European *trenk- "press," whence also Lithuanian trenkiù, treñkti "to push roughly, fling"

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year