- present participle of throb.
throbbing
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
full of or characterized by lively energy.
This throbbing metropolis is also the world capital of salsa.
noun
-
throbbings
plural
-
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.
-
the act or fact of feeling or exhibiting strong emotion or passion.
The throbbing of my rage was so powerful that the ground trembled.
-
lively energy.
Feel the throbbing of the world’s cultures at the annual international festival this weekend!
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Explanation
If something's pulsing like a heartbeat, it's throbbing. When you stop and catch your breath after a long run, you might hear your throbbing pulse in your ears. An injury that's throbbing with pain pounds with regular beats: "I have a throbbing headache." Music is often described as throbbing too, beating and pounding with deep bass notes from a club or a car — or maybe your ceiling is vibrating with the throbbing music your upstairs neighbors are playing. To throb is to pulsate, and experts guess the word itself stems from the sound and feeling of pulsating blood.
Vocabulary lists containing throbbing
Kindred
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The War Works Hard" by Dunya Mikhail
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Neighborhood Odes
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
It’s a thrilling introduction, shot on 35mm on location in New York City, and the throbbing bass is still bumping around my skull.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
But still, when I speak to him afterwards, his heavily bandaged leg throbbing, he is determined.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
The song holds next to none of the grinding desire throbbing through most of The Artist’s oeuvre.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2026
When the aircraft parked and the doors opened, Harris said his head was throbbing, he felt confused and was struggling to string sentences together.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
The throbbing was louder, coming from somewhere outside.
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
No wonder, then, that she clung to her perverseness, and moved about on her restless pillow with no sweet or refreshing sleep to quiet the throbbings of her heavy brow.
From The Elm Tree Tales by F. Irene Burge (Frances Irene Burge) Smith
Pour forth your homage, chosen of the sun, Once more his warmth encloses; and we feel Responsive throbbings of his fatherhood.
From Montezuma An Epic on the Origin and Fate of the Aztec Nation by Hiram Hoyt Richmond
There something of the energy that creates that endless panorama is comprehended; all the deep throbbings of the mighty river's pulses are felt; all the magnificence is seen.
From The Comstock Club by Charles Carroll Goodwin
Lie still, my heart, lest these convulsive throbbings Mar my last wish.
From Joan of Arc A Play in Five Acts by Jane Alice Sargant
As for herself—she was innocent as the linnet that sang beside her in the broom, and innocent was she to be up to the last throbbings of her religious heart.
From Recreations of Christopher North, Volume I (of 2) by John Lyde Wilson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
