pulsate

verb

pul·​sate ˈpəl-ˌsāt 

also ˌpəl-ˈsāt

pulsated; pulsating

intransitive verb

1

: to throb or move rhythmically : vibrate

2

: to exhibit a pulse or pulsation : beat

Synonyms of pulsate

• throb
• vibrate
• beat
• pulse

Examples of pulsate in a Sentence

The lights pulsated with the music.

People danced to the pulsating sounds of hip-hop.

Virtually every scene of the movie pulsates with suspense.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2-2 result at the end of a pulsating, dramatic afternoon at historic, raucous Tynecastle means Hearts still lead the Scottish Premiership. —Michael Walker, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026

Its stylish decor and pulsating music create an ideal backdrop for dancing the night away. —Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Jan. 2026

Revel in Chicago’s Evolving Dining Scene Chicago’s pulsating and evolving dining scene is one of the best things about visiting or living in the City of the Big Shoulders. —Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

As Donna Summer's disco beat pulsated, Alysa Liu blissfully dashed around the ice, weaving intricate jump combinations with artistic flair. —Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

in part borrowed from Latin pulsātus, past participle of pulsāre "to strike with repeated blows, beat, (in passive) beat wildly (of the heart)," frequentative or repetitive derivative of pellere "to beat against, push, strike"; in part from pulse entry 1 + -ate entry 4 — more at pulse entry 1

First Known Use

1744, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pulsate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

pulsate

verb

pul·​sate ˈpəl-ˌsāt 

pulsated; pulsating

1

: to throb or move rhythmically

2

: to exhibit a pulse or pulsation : beat

a heart pulsating

Medical Definition

pulsate

intransitive verb

pul·​sate

ˈpəl-ˌsāt also ˌpəl-ˈ

pulsated; pulsating

: to exhibit a pulse or pulsation

a pulsating artery