pit-a-pat

Definition of pit-a-patnext
as in to throb
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner her heart pit-a-patted with surprise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pit-a-pat
Verb
  • The collection consists of the sneaker brand’s UNO sneakers (which, PSA, are a fab Nike Air Max alternative), Arch Fit, and Slip-Ins—all of which include some of the most impressive cushioning and support, so your feet won’t throb after standing for hours in a field.
    Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 19 Mar. 2026
  • The smoke kept rising and the clouds continued to throb with sickly yellow-and-black whorls until just after sunset, when the boiling mass of vapor suddenly turned pink and scarlet, like a poisonous flower opening its petals.
    New York Times, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Tim Brinkhof Million Stories Many were expecting extremism survivor and free speech advocate Salman Rushdie to take home the Nobel Prize in Literature, but Annie Ernaux beat him to it.
    Big Think, Big Think, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Mikael Granlund scored twice, Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Thursday night.
    CBS News, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The gratification was immediate; tears glistened on fans’ cheeks as the lights pulsed on stage.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
  • On a stretch of White Plains Road, a few blocks from the Allerton Avenue train station in the Bronx, there once stood a building that pulsed like a second heart for New York City’s hip-hop generation.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Pit-a-pat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pit-a-pat. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.

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