throes: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal, Literary, Figurative
Quick answer
What does “throes” mean?
Intense or violent pain and struggle, especially accompanying birth, death, or a major change.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Intense or violent pain and struggle, especially accompanying birth, death, or a major change.
A condition of agonizing struggle, tumultuous effort, or painful difficulty associated with a process, event, or transition.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more common in British literary/formal contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties: severe struggle, acute pain (physical or metaphorical).
Frequency
Low frequency in both varieties; typical in news (political/social upheaval), literature, and formal analysis.
Grammar
How to Use “throes” in a Sentence
[be/V] in the throes of [NP/event/process]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The company was in the throes of a major restructuring."
Academic
"The nation, in the throes of revolution, saw its social structures crumble."
Everyday
"Sorry I missed your call—I was in the throes of cooking dinner for ten people."
Technical
Rare in technical contexts; occasionally in geology/history: "the final throes of the volcanic eruption."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “throes”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “throes”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “throes”
- Using the singular 'throe' (extremely rare/archaic).
- Misspelling as 'throws'.
- Using it for minor difficulties (e.g., 'in the throes of doing homework' is overly dramatic).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes, for painful or tumultuous struggles. It can be used for intense positive experiences (e.g., 'throes of passion', 'throes of creation'), but this is less common and still implies a kind of overwhelming, uncontrollable intensity.
No. The singular form is obsolete and never used in modern English. The word is a 'plurale tantum' (always plural), like 'scissors' or 'pants'.
Both denote sharp pain. 'Pangs' are usually shorter, sharper, and more specific (pangs of hunger, guilt). 'Throes' are more prolonged, violent, and associated with a major process (throes of childbirth, revolution).
Yes, it is a homophone for the verb 'throws' (/θroʊz/ in US, /θrəʊz/ in UK). Context is essential to distinguish them.
Intense or violent pain and struggle, especially accompanying birth, death, or a major change.
Throes is usually formal, literary, figurative in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in the throes of something”
- “death throes (of an institution/era)”
- “final/throes of passion”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a ROSE with THORNS causing such intense pain that you cry out. "THRO(e)S" of pain feel like being gripped by thorns.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTENSE PAIN/CHANGE IS A PHYSICAL CONVULSION. A DIFFICULT PROCESS IS A BIRTH.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'throes' correctly?