throe

noun

ˈthrō 

1

: pang, spasm

death throes

throes of childbirth

2

throes plural : a hard or painful struggle

… the throes of revolutionary social change …

—M. D. Geismar

Synonyms of throe

• ache
• pang
• tingle
• pain
• sting

Examples of throe in a Sentence

collapsed in the throes of agony

that third-world country is caught up in the throes of a democratic revolution

Recent Examples on the Web

The weeklong visit to Spain by Pope Leo XIV has brought the pontiff to a once-staunchly Catholic country that has long been in the throes of waning religious practice and, recently, a political crisis for the governing Socialist Party. —ABC News, 6 June 2026

His own son, Ethan, in the throes of a mental health crisis, threw Tom’s wife down the stairs, killing her. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 2 June 2026

An on-duty FDNY firefighter in the throes of a mental health episode was arrested for punching an NYPD officer in the face during an unprovoked attack inside a Queens hospital, police sources said Friday. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 29 May 2026

That felt like the day when patience snapped with Slot as no Liverpool manager had faced that level of dissent on home turf since the final throes of Roy Hodgson’s tenure in late 2010. —James Pearce, New York Times, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thrawe, throwe, from Old English thrawu, thrēa threat, pang; akin to Old High German drawa threat

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for throe

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

throe

noun

ˈthrō 

1

: pang

death throes

throes of childbirth

2

plural : a hard or painful struggle

a state in the throes of revolution

Medical Definition

throe

noun

ˈthrō 

: pang, spasm

—usually used in plural

death throes

throes of childbirth