Idiom idiom
get a lump in one's throat
Meaning
To feel a tight feeling in your throat because you are about to cry or are moved by strong emotion — usually sadness, pride, or tenderness. "I got a lump in my throat during the goodbye."
Examples
“She got a lump in her throat at the wedding.”
“Watching his daughter cross the stage to collect her diploma, he got a lump in his throat and had to look away.”
“Even the reporters, who had covered dozens of such reunions, admitted to getting a lump in their throats as the soldier knelt to hug the dog he had left behind three years earlier.”
Last updated July 27, 2026