throbbing 1 of 2

throbbing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of throb
as in pulsing
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 throbbing
Adjective
After recent forays into darkly psychedelic drone music, the Mexican American producer returns to the dancefloor with an album that fuses techno and guaracha into a throbbing polyrhythmic juggernaut. — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026 The throbbing track is named for the New York nightclub where Madonna and Mazar met more than four decades ago. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 6 June 2026 Finally, the wistful McCartney interview was interrupted by the opening of a throbbing, green portal in the studio. — Judy Berman, Time, 22 May 2026 Tucked into the historic heart of Copenhagen, in the neighborhood of Norreport, there is nothing that cannot be accessed easily from here, whether the best bakeries, small, relaxed eateries, cute design shops, peaceful parks, or even the throbbing Nyhavn. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 If not remedied, this will progress to a tingling and later a throbbing sensation. — Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 15 Jan. 2026 Over throbbing synths, the actors shouted declarations into each other’s ears—and additionally communicated with eyes and hands—while a cameraman circled them with a Steadicam. — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025 Whether sharp and stabbing or dull and throbbing, a headache can ruin your day. — Katherine Cobb-Pitstick, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025 Sirāt, an oddly hopeful look at death and the end of the world, set to a throbbing techno beat, was nominated for best casting, cinematography and editing, as well as best production and best sound design. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 26 Nov. 2025
Verb
Her voice, usually an attention-demanding force, is detached from the throbbing production. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026 Just two days later, Aitia was sitting in class when his newly pierced ear began throbbing with pain. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026 No sweating, throbbing headache and skin that’s hot, red and dry are signs of heatstroke. — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026 Workers are paying for it as the people in charge mostly ignore our throbbing national headache. — Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 8 July 2026 And judging by the throbbing snippet that caps off the video they might not be done. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026 The light bled red at Sixty-Seventh and Pacific, music throbbing through the speakers as Olivia Borsutzki relaxed her foot from the brake. — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026 And yet, as dynasties could emerge across a number of divisions in boys hockey this postseason, none should diminish what will be yet another heart-throbbing three weeks. — Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 23 Feb. 2026 Winning by rallying the naïve and clueless is one thing, but administering a throbbing behemoth is a greater challenge. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throbbing
Adjective
  • Lifepro's Rumblex has three powerful motors for oscillating, pulsating and lateral vibrations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Vinícius Júnior scored an equalizing goal in the 32nd minute, giving five-time champion Brazil a 1-1 draw against Morocco on Saturday in a pulsating, high-profile group match at the World Cup.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • The title track is dark, pulsing dance pop, indebted, in obvious ways, to the trickle-down influence of Madonna, particularly via Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Dua Lipa.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Her latest book is an ode to the artist Eva Hesse — and a pulsing meditation on identity.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Relevant, heart-palpitating, thoughtful, emotional, tense, thrilling, devastating and joyful.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Although made of natural materials, these early instruments were played by vibrating the lips to send air into and through a hollow opening—the defining characteristic of a brass instrument.
    — Kara Rogers, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Accessibility There are several accessible guest rooms in the hotel—these have step-free showers, assistance alarms, grab bars, and visual, sound and vibrating alarm systems.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Nigeria is on track to complete a 90,000 km fiber optic cable network in three years, a government minister said, beating an initial timeline for the project backed by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • OpenAI earlier this month released GPT-6 Astra, which has sometimes been modestly beating Opus 5 in benchmarks and user sentiment.
    — Samuel Axon, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Throbbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throbbing. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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