throbs 1 of 2

noun

plural of throb
as in pulses
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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throbs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of throb
as in vibrates
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 throbs
Verb
The first is pique, a sharp, vinegary hot sauce that throbs with the heat of Thai chiles. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 The depression is a gritty-slick coating that constantly throbs against my thoughts and my insides. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 My boredom typically spurs feelings of frustration, guilt, shame—and long nutritionless spells of goggling, slack-jawed, at celebrity news on my phone while the world throbs around me. — Daniel Smith, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026 Pain that is not a word throbs in his shoulders, awakens him each morning. — Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 6 Jan. 2026 While the game is played across the country, its pulse throbs in Rio. — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 28 Dec. 2025 Portugal’s coastline throbs with beach goers and sports enthusiasts. — Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025 There is expansive Zhong, with 360-degree views of the valley; forbidding Lubra, a tiny riverside hamlet ringed by cliffs; and fortress-like Kagbeni, home to a gompa founded by the 15th-century scholar Tenpai Gyaltsen, which throbs with the sound of the Kali Gandaki. — Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throbs
  1. pulses
  2. vibrates
  3. beats
  4. pulsates
Noun
  • That spirit of creation—the one prerequisite of really making something new—pulses through every note.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • When laser pulses disrupted superconductivity, the spectrum of energy levels developed an imbalance that looked just like a pseudogap.
    — Sven Badoux, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pulses
Verb
  • The film fairly vibrates with ominous tension even in scenes in which seemingly nothing happens.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Partita takes a poem that vibrates with political energy and domesticates it, sapping this very famous verse of its revolutionary bite.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of vibrates
Verb
  • Simply put, to stay economically competitive, America needs computing power that matches or beats its adversaries’.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The golden saffron panna cotta is an ode in dessert form to my favorite Italian region (and, in my opinion, beats zabaione), while a basil sorbet topping a raspberry mascarpone coupe was a palate cleanser to remember.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of beats
Verb
  • But however long this Summer of New York stretches and the city pulsates with positivity, locals are relishing it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
  • Framed by verdant mountains and hills, the best things to do in Taipei make up a city that pulsates with energy; from the lively sizzle of night markets to the scenic hiking trails of Elephant Mountain.
    — Kaila Yu, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2025
Definition of pulsates

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Cite this Entry

“Throbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throbs. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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