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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

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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
The depression is a gritty-slick coating that constantly throbs against my thoughts and my insides. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 Workers are paying for it as the people in charge mostly ignore our throbbing national headache. — Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for throb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throb
  1. pulse
  2. beat
  3. vibrate
  4. pulsate
  5. palpitate
Noun
  • Then a magnetic pulse plays the role of the cannon, kicking any magnetically sensitive atoms upward.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Compared with commercial devices, this treatment produces a much stronger effect in terms of power, pulse frequency, penetration and wavelength, Utah’s researchers say.
    — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of pulse
Verb
  • The Panthers beat Vanderbilt in coach Dell McGee’s third game as coach in 2024, then lost 17 of their next 18 games against FBS opponents.
    — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Two blue and yellow humanoid robots attempted to beat each other up with punches twice as hard as Mike Tyson’s.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of beat
Verb
  • Sound in modern brass instruments, such as French horns, trombones, and trumpets, is produced when the player vibrates their lips against a metal mouthpiece, moving air through the instrument’s tubing.
    — Kara Rogers, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Sep. 2026
  • And the universal consciousness of light that vibrated at my frequency is what saved me.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of vibrate
Verb
  • What is harder to summon from this distance is the pulsating chaos of that day, hour by hour.
    — Ann Gerhart, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
  • An ominous, pulsating soundtrack begins to play as the camera pulls away to reveal the living room of the beachside home and the infant in a bouncy chair.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Throb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throb. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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