# throb

/ˈθɹɑb/ (US) · /θɹˈɒb/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/throb
Updated: 2026-10-13

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Intransitive; takes no direct object. Often followed by 'with' or a location phrase such as 'in my temples'.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.