pitter-patters

verb

present tense third-person singular of pitter-patter
as in throbs
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-patters
  1. throbs
  2. beats
  3. vibrates
  4. pulses
Verb
  • The depression is a gritty-slick coating that constantly throbs against my thoughts and my insides.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • My boredom typically spurs feelings of frustration, guilt, shame—and long nutritionless spells of goggling, slack-jawed, at celebrity news on my phone while the world throbs around me.
    — Daniel Smith, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of throbs
Verb
  • This day in sports history 1907 — Australasia beats British Isles 3-2 to win the Davis Cup held at Wimbledon.
    — Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • Nothing beats fresh blossoms on an entryway credenza, kitchen counter, or coffee table—that is, except for fresh blossoms that actually last.
    — Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2026
Definition of beats
Verb
  • Nevertheless, Bonnie’s doting parents hope that Lilypad will help Bonnie make friends, oblivious to how the gizmo — and soon, their daughter — vibrates with anxiety.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
  • The household hums with collective energy and vibrates with handiwork, intention, love.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
Definition of vibrates
Verb
  • Each second, the light pulses a few hundred billion times through a fiberglass straw the width of a human hair.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 June 2026
  • While the complications of the relationship between Merril and Raquel are not always terribly clear in the script, both Marquis and Adame find strong chemistry as the story pulses forward.
    — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Definition of pulses
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-pattering
pitter-patters
pitting
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Cite this Entry

“Pitter-patters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitter-patters. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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