as in feels
medical
to examine (part of the body) by touching it
The doctor palpated his ribs to see if there was any tenderness.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palpates
Verb
-
With its 18th-century buildings and cobblestones, rue de la Commune feels like the Rive Droite in Paris—except instead of a rivulet, the water is the size of a sea.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026 -
But for students like 11-year-old Dutra, the loss feels personal.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Graves’ exit has sparked intense speculation about his potential successor to represent Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, which stretches across northern Missouri and touches Kansas City’s Northland.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
For those surrounded by ocean ecosystems that are home to some of the country’s most active marine research communities, the science emerging from this species touches on deep-sea fisheries, conservation and the biology of aging itself.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Echo Spot shaves it down even further to a half-sphere and adds a handy little touch screen for visual information.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps this shaves off sharp edges around any conversation.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
During the performance, the singer kneels down to hand Fox the award and pats his head before continuing on.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Inside the facility, Angela empties her pockets, a guard scans her with a metal-detection wand, pats her down and asks her to spread her legs.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Palpates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palpates. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
