throbbing
Americanadjective
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beating or pulsing rapidly or forcefully, as the heart under the influence of emotion or excitement.
One may use a sweet, patient tone and words, but the throbbing vein in the temple betrays one’s anger.
-
feeling or exhibiting strong emotion or passion.
As he spoke to the students crashing the climate convention, he was clearly thrilled to be there in that throbbing mass of youthful exuberance.
-
pulsating or vibrating regularly.
The throbbing sound was now at full volume, and it was indeed drums—deep, heavy goatskin drums.
-
being or feeling pain that occurs in rhythmic waves or bursts.
A sinus infection often results in a throbbing headache.
He pounded on the closed door, but with no effect apart from a throbbing fist.
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full of or characterized by lively energy.
This throbbing metropolis is also the world capital of salsa.
noun
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the act of beating fast or forcefully, pulsating or vibrating, or occurring in rhythmic waves.
The pain in his shoulder had subsided to a dull throbbing.
Astronomers have measured the throbbing of a sun-like star 24 light-years away.
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the act or fact of feeling or exhibiting strong emotion or passion.
The throbbing of my rage was so powerful that the ground trembled.
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lively energy.
Feel the throbbing of the world’s cultures at the annual international festival this weekend!
Other Word Forms
- throbbingly adverb
- unthrobbing adjective
Etymology
Origin of throbbing
First recorded in 1400–50; throb ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; throb ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses
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.
Sometimes throbbing headaches stopped her from reading and writing.
From Literature
Bending over to hold his throbbing sides, he listened carefully.
From Literature
We lowered ourselves carefully inside, Mr. Dovlo irritably rolling up his wet pant legs, and moved out onto the lake yet again, my head throbbing to the drone of the outboard motor.
From Literature
A couple of years ago, a falling durian landed on his shoulder, leaving him with a throbbing pain that acts up now and then.
From BBC
But it did not stop the angry throbbing in his brain, the thing burning inside him.
From Literature
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.
