as in throbbed
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner
his heart pitter-pattered with excitement as he waited for the right moment to propose
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitter-pattered
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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This Victorian residence was the band’s communal home during the 1960s, when Haight-Ashbury pulsed as the heart of counterculture.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Pentagon has since been testing the portable, backpack-sized device, which emits pulsed, radio-frequency energy and contains components of Russian origin.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 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
“Pitter-pattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitter-pattered. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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