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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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
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Recent Examples of throbs
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
Verb
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
Noun
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Noninvasive devices for treating headaches deliver gentle pulses of electricity to certain places on the neck or ear where the vagus nerve is very close to the surface of the skin.—
Elizabeth Riley,
The Conversation,
26 Mar. 2026
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The scientists used high frequency ultrasound pulses to extract the TRPM8 from human embryonic kidney cells without damaging the cells’ environment.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Basically, how fast a sound source vibrates.—
Laura Kiniry,
Popular Science,
25 Mar. 2026
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There's real grit underneath the shag haircut and thigh-high boots, though; see the discotheque scene, where her entire body vibrates with a desperate mix of hope, terror, and determination.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because of its location—facing the St-Lawrence River and the Old Port—nothing beats watching summer fireworks from Terrasse sur l’Auberge up on the roof.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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October 23 – November 21 By midday, steadiness beats speed at work.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
Cite this Entry
“Throbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throbs. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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