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“In the throes of” means being deeply involved in a difficult, intense, or painful situation. It suggests being in the middle of a struggle or strong emotion, where things are often challenging or overwhelming.
You use “in the throes of” to describe someone or something experiencing intense activity, emotion, or difficulty. It’s often followed by a noun that represents what the person or situation is going through, like “grief,” “change,” or “crisis.”
Examples:
- “It’s important to show compassion toward people who are in the throes of an addiction.” This sentence describes people who are in a crisis (addiction).
- “In early 2020, the world was in the throes of a global health crisis caused by COVID-19.” The world, at that time, was in the middle of an intense difficulty (the global health crisis).
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