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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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
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The gratification was immediate; tears glistened on fans’ cheeks as the lights pulsed on stage.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
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Tension and incredulity pulsed through Friday’s sentencing hearing, which spanned more than two hours.—
Annie Vainshtein,
San Francisco Chronicle,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The roar of the crowds gathered at the base of the 101-story building still echoed in his ears, and the thrill of scaling its ten abstract metal dragons vibrated through his body.—
Outside,
Outside,
23 Feb. 2026
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Even the bathrooms down the hall vibrated with rhythm.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Vogue,
17 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 30 Mar. 2026.
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