throb 1 of 2

noun

Definition of throbnext
as in pulse
a rhythmic expanding and contracting I seemed to feel anew the pain of her death with each throb of my heart

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

throb

2 of 2

verb

ˈthräb How to pronounce throb (audio)
as in to pulse
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the car's stereo speakers throbbing with the song's bass line

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of throb
Noun
The father of six children, a teenage heart throb, a brilliant stage actor, and a husband. — Dr. Frederick W. Ruymann, Boston Herald, 31 Mar. 2026 And in my own case, that meaning has been a reminder — unwelcome but reliable — of my origins, and of the need to find the right fit when crossing between languages, so that the ache in one finds its answering throb in another. — Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
When Marlowe awoke the next morning, her head was still throbbing and Declan's side was empty, the sheets lineless. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 And judging by the throbbing snippet that caps off the video they might not be done. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for throb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throb
  1. pulse
  2. beat
  3. vibrate
  4. pulsate
  5. palpitate
Noun
  • In theoretical demonstrations, the researchers were able to adjust the width and shape of the transmission band, control how efficiently light passed through the circuit, and, most importantly, tune how long optical pulses were delayed.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Scandi It Girls outside the shows always have the coolest outfit inspiration and a pulse on what trends are coming next.
    — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of pulse
Verb
  • The last time two American women played in the Cincinnati final was in 1970, when Rosie Casals beat Nancy Richey.
    — Jeff Wallner, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • A day earlier, the Buccaneers had beaten the Panthers in their final game of the regular season, only to witness Carolina claim the NFC South anyway.
    — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of beat
Verb
  • Following detection, the NCSU patch – about the size of a business card – alerts its wearer simply by vibrating against the skin.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The words in this and other magazines looked like vibrating ants.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of vibrate
Verb
  • In the clip, Norwood signals the engineer before launching into a performance of the theme, which captures the songstress delivering impassioned vocals over a pulsating instrumental.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That might not sound that exciting, but in low lighting, the massive illuminated tanks of pulsating jellies feel like a mesmerizing alien art exhibit.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of pulsate
Verb
  • The heart-palpitating rhythms and glitchy stutters suggest some unholy mix of early Plastikman and Mark Fell, the vestiges of ’90s dance music reanimated into a herky-jerky Frankenstein’s monster.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
  • But two sweaty and heart-palpitating afternoons at Foley Field spoke a truth about Georgia, bound for the College World Series for the first time since 2008.
    — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
Definition of palpitate

Browse Nearby Words

throaty
throb
throbbed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Throb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throb. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of southpaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All