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pitter-pattering

verb

present participle of pitter-patter
as in throbbing
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-pattering
  1. throbbing
  2. beating
  3. vibrating
  4. pulsing
Verb
  • No sweating, throbbing headache and skin that’s hot, red and dry are signs of heatstroke.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Workers are paying for it as the people in charge mostly ignore our throbbing national headache.
    — Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 8 July 2026
Definition of throbbing
Verb
  • Data from the firm shows that, from 1991 through 2025, firms trading at more than 20 times earnings have a mixed track record at delivering inflation-beating returns over the subsequent 10 years.
    — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • And amazingly, though perhaps not surprisingly, Zverev has been able to collect those two trophies without beating either Alcaraz or Sinner all year.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of beating
Verb
  • Following detection, the NCSU patch – about the size of a business card – alerts its wearer simply by vibrating against the skin.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The words in this and other magazines looked like vibrating ants.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of vibrating
Verb
  • Blood streamed through his veins, pulsing inside him, like a ticking time bomb.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Stream in the buttermilk while pulsing and pulse just enough to bring the dough together.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pulsing
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

pitter-pattered
pitter-pattering
pitter-patters
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Cite this Entry

“Pitter-pattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitter-pattering. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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