palpitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of palpitate
as in throbs
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for palpitates
  1. throbs
  2. beats
  3. vibrates
  4. pulses
Verb
  • The first is pique, a sharp, vinegary hot sauce that throbs with the heat of Thai chiles.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • The depression is a gritty-slick coating that constantly throbs against my thoughts and my insides.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of throbs
Verb
  • This could be the first year that solar beats gas in California’s power mix.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
  • When measured against the modern perimeter icons who preceded him, James beats Jordan and Bryant on points scored, Magic Johnson on assists dished and Larry Bird on titles won.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of beats
Verb
  • This painstakingly restored 4K version looks and sounds gorgeous; cinematographer Dante Spinotti’s work glows with saturated vibrancy, and Michel Rubini and the Reds’ score vibrates on a spooky synth frequency.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • When the patch vibrates, that movement creates an electrical signal.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of vibrates
Verb
  • Each second, the light pulses a few hundred billion times through a fiberglass straw the width of a human hair.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 June 2026
  • While the complications of the relationship between Merril and Raquel are not always terribly clear in the script, both Marquis and Adame find strong chemistry as the story pulses forward.
    — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Definition of pulses
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.

Browse Nearby Words

palpitated
palpitates
palpitating
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Cite this Entry

“Palpitates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palpitates. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on palpitates

Nglish: Translation of palpitates for Spanish Speakers

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