as in throbbed
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-patted
Verb
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Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026 -
The upper blocks throbbed and pulsed a deep blue, reflecting the pond’s windblown currents.—
Jack Korngold,
Rolling Stone,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Liam Gagne recorded 24 saves and Billerica rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Milton 3-2 in the first round of the Irish American Shootout.—
Kristina Banahan,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
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Skincare delivered €551 million in sales and represented 11% of the group’s full-year revenue, beating market expectations.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Vogue,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On game days at East Catholic, fight songs pulsed between classes, filling the hallways with energy and anticipation.—
Mario DiLoreto,
Hartford Courant,
18 Feb. 2026
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Though she initially was considered missing, the urgency to quickly find Guthrie pulsed through the first days of media coverage because of her heart condition.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Group chats vibrated in confusion, anger and disbelief.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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There was a low rumble that vibrated for a second or two, then faded away.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pit-a-patted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pit-a-patted. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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