as in to throb
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the man's heart began to palpitate, and he feared another attack was coming on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of palpitate The Broad palpitated with energy. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2025 The finale had the impossible task of putting the monstrous show to an unquiet grave, and while some storylines seemed rushed and others completely ignored, even everyone’s least favorite season of GOT is heart palpitating. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025 Representing heart-palpitating romance is the main storyline: the passion of Megha’s son Naveen (Carol Mazhuvancheril) for his boyfriend, Keshav (Noah Israel), a fellow Hindu who happens to be Caucasian. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2023 The matte, phosphorescent sigils painted onto his robe appeared to palpitate in the low light. Kent Russell, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022 In one of the raciest vignettes, a man buys and eats fresh dumplings on a train, intermittently palpitating his sore gums with his fingers. Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 8 May 2020 Angelica Hernández’s heart hasn’t stopped palpitating for a week. Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2020 Angelica Hernández's heart hasn't stopped palpitating for a week. Author: Arelis R. Hernández, Cristina Corujo, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Jan. 2020 The past three seasons, their games were marked by palpitating comebacks. New York Times, 23 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palpitate
Verb
  • And its just stabbing pain, like throbbing pain from behind my eyes.
    Tom Zeller Jr. July 30, Literary Hub, 30 July 2025
  • The Dolphins are in a less optimism-friendly spot than UM, coming off an 8-9 season and with that playoff-win drought still an embarrassing, throbbing pain.
    Greg Cote July 17, Miami Herald, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • The set disappeared in a flash, against an opponent who had beaten her in straight sets in their previous meeting in Washington, D.C.
    James Hansen, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Zack Littell struck out eight in seven crisp innings in his Cincinnati debut, and the Reds beat the slumping Chicago Cubs 5-1 at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.
    Matt Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The captain announces the trip, vibrating chairs simulate the real thing while the plane windows offer views of the departure city (San Francisco), the sky and the tarmac upon landing in Mexico City.
    Susan Stapleton, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
  • As Martin Scorsese said when asked to describe them, Schnabel’s films are ‘abundant, overflowing and vibrating with life, pulse.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • The inside move of a Thoroughbred on the homestretch, the last roll of the dice—such moments pulse with urgency and splendor.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
  • Custom multi-layered music filled the chamber with different frequencies and sounds, while specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared (NIR) light penetrated my skin and underlying tissues (protective eyewear simply made the photobiomodulation feel like soft light pulsing around me).
    Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 28 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Palpitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palpitate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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