throng
Americannoun
-
a multitude of people crowded or assembled together; crowd.
- Synonyms:
- assemblage, host, horde
-
a great number of things crowded or considered together.
a throng of memories.
-
Chiefly Scot. pressure, as of work.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to crowd or press upon; jostle.
-
to fill or occupy with or as with a crowd.
He thronged the picture with stars.
-
to bring or drive together into or as into a crowd, heap, or collection.
-
to fill by crowding or pressing into.
They thronged the small room.
adjective
-
filled with people or objects; crowded.
-
(of time) filled with things to do; busy.
noun
verb
-
to gather in or fill (a place) in large numbers; crowd
-
(tr) to hem in (a person); jostle
adjective
Synonym Usage
See crowd 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have throngedperfect
-
has throngedperfect 3rd person singular
-
is throngingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am throngingprogressive 1st person singular
-
are throngingprogressive
-
have been throngingperfect progressive
-
throngssingular 3rd person
-
has been throngingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
throngingparticiple
Past
-
had throngedperfect
-
was throngingprogressive singular
-
were throngingprogressive plural
-
had been throngingperfect progressive
-
throngedsimple
-
throngedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of throng
before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English gethrang; cognate with Dutch drang, German Drang pressure, Old Norse thrǫng throng; (adj. and v.) Middle English; akin to the noun; compare obsolete thring to press
Explanation
A throng is a crowd of people or animals. On the crowded platform, the throng of passengers attempted to push their way into the already overcrowded subway car. When used as a noun, throng means a tightly packed crowd of people or animals. As a verb, it means to push together or squeeze into an area. The science fiction movie fans thronged into the auditorium when they heard their favorite actor had entered the building. The word comes to us from the Middle English term meaning "push" or "force one's way," which is exactly what you'd have to do if you got stuck inside a throng of people.
Vocabulary lists containing throng
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Diary of Anne Frank
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Home on the Range > Human Throng: Replaces the roaming buffalo.
From Washington Post • Jul. 1, 2021
His collected poems, under the revealing title The Passing Throng, will be published this season.
From Time Magazine Archive
As I rode on horseback from the Capitol to the President's house, I could not help but notice that a joyous Throng was both following and Preceding me to our Destination.
From Time Magazine Archive
But smile, my Muse, once more upon my Song, Let Creech be numbred with the Sacred Throng.
From Discourse on Criticism and of Poetry (1707) From Poems On Several Occasions (1707) by Cobb, Samuel
A Throng of Carriages about us, whereon young handsome rakish-looking Gallants with Mustaches and Cigars.
From Manners & Cvftoms of ye Englyfhe Drawn from ye Qvick by Doyle, Richard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
