Word
throb
US/ˈθɹɑb/
UK/θɹˈɒb/
Definition
v. to beat hard and fast again and again, like your heart after you run. You also use it for pain that comes and goes with each beat.
v. to beat or pulsate with a strong, regular rhythm; to ache with a rhythmic, pounding pain.
Examples
“My head throbs when I have a fever.”
“After running up the stairs, she can feel her heart throb in her chest.”
“Long after the dentist's injection wore off, a dull ache settled in his jaw, and with every heartbeat the tooth seemed to throb anew.”
Examples
simple
“My head throbs when I have a fever.”
contextual
“After running up the stairs, she can feel her heart throb in her chest.”
complex
“Long after the dentist's injection wore off, a dull ache settled in his jaw, and with every heartbeat the tooth seemed to throb anew.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “throb” in context.
Verb
01. throb painfully
“His head began to throb painfully after hours of staring at the screen.”
verb + adv
02. throb rhythmically
“The bass from the speakers made the entire floor throb rhythmically.”
verb + adv
03. throb with excitement
“The stadium seemed to throb with excitement as the players took the field.”
verb + prep + noun
04. throb with pain
“Her finger started to throb with pain where she had slammed it in the door.”
verb + prep + noun
05. heart throb with fear
“She felt her heart throb with fear as she heard the footsteps behind her.”
06. temples throb violently
“He could feel his temples throb violently as his anger mounted.”
07. throb with a dull ache
“My tooth began to throb with a dull ache that wouldn't go away.”
Usage
Intransitive; takes no direct object. Often followed by 'with' or a location phrase such as 'in my temples'.
Real-World Examples
“The pulsing nature of throbbing pain makes many think its rhythm is somehow related to their heartbeat but is that actually the case?” “It's something I'm sure most if not all of us have experienced at some point: that awful throbbing pain that comes with a headache, toothache, or even just a bad knock, trapped finger, nasty cut or other injury.” “Throbbing pain may pound like a heartbeat, but University of Florida scientists have discovered the sensation is all in your head, or more precisely, in your brain waves.” “We examined this presumption more closely by simultaneously recording the subjective report of the throbbing rhythm and the arterial pulse in human subjects of either sex with throbbing dental pain—a prevalent condition whose pulsatile quality is widely regarded a primary sensation.” Etymology
From Middle English throbben; possibly of imitative origin.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/throb