pulses 1 of 2

plural of pulse
as in throbs
a rhythmic expanding and contracting his resting pulse rate is much lower than that of most men his age

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pulses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pulse
as in beats
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner blood vessels pulsing in time with the heartbeat

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pulses
Noun
Originally developed for use in hospitals, the band releases a specific pattern of pulses to your wrist, normalizing the nerve messaging from the brain to the stomach to essentially tell the brain to turn off feelings of nausea and vomiting. ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 In both cases, the same infrared pulses alone, without the upconverter, produced no measurable response at all. Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 Duke is in the driver’s seat, but the show pulses to a new level when the camera is trained on either Cebella or Kingsley. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 July 2026 The system constructs a real-time 3D spatial map using high-frequency acoustic pulses to navigate in total darkness while maintaining a compact form factor. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 2026 Tornyol’s latest model, LeSonar2, features 32 ultrasonic emitters that produce ultrasonic pulses (inaudible to humans) which reflect off nearby objects or insects. New Atlas, 26 July 2026 In superconducting systems, control electronics must deliver clean microwave and flux pulses to the qubits, which is why Qolab integrates its high-yield QPUs with control platforms such as Quantum Machines’ OPX1000. Paul Smith-Goodson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 The first sequence plays out with breathtaking suspense, the second with wrenching tragedy; the difference is calibrated by the composer Ludwig Göransson, whose score pulses with mournful dissonance and martial fury. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 To be fair, a semi-final line-up of Morocco versus Belgium and Norway against Switzerland wouldn’t exactly get many pulses racing outside those countries, granted. Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Verb
Wearables use temperature sensors, accelerometers, light sensors and photoplethysmography (PPG), which pulses light through the skin to measure blood flow, heart rate and approximate blood oxygen. Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026 Each second, the light pulses a few hundred billion times through a fiberglass straw the width of a human hair. 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 Though rooted in the past, the film pulses with an urgency that feels entirely present. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 May 2026 There’s a small LED indicator on the top of the device that pulses white when the sensor is ready for setup, briefly glows red when motion is detected, and briefly flashes green and blue during a reset. John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026 Inside the shop, Miwa Tanaka, who’s worked the floor for years, says the flow of foot traffic still pulses with seasonality. Jessica Binns, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026 San Antonio often gets labeled as a retirement town, but don’t let that fool you—the city pulses with youth and energy. Kat Stinson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026 The village pulses with a ton of energy, and the restaurant and après scene are also top-notch. Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulses
Noun
  • Slow pulsations near the end of the AGB phase lead to ejecta, but these ejecta are rarely visible directly.
    Big Think, Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026
  • While the former aids in the reduction of puffiness and dark circles in the under-eye area based on hot and cold contrast therapy, the latter comes with three attachments for relieving muscle pain, tension, and soreness through rapid pulsations.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The first is pique, a sharp, vinegary hot sauce that throbs with the heat of Thai chiles.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • The depression is a gritty-slick coating that constantly throbs against my thoughts and my insides.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • Michael, who would later split from his father’s control, accused him of severe childhood emotional and physical abuse, including beatings with iron cords.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Former child soldiers describe being abducted by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, shackled and ordered to fire on warplanes and civilians, under threat of beatings or death.
    Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The compilation beats Sonic Boom, which brought Kiss to the ranking for the first time in October 2009.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Ballistic stretching beats static stretching for court sports, according to Jim Hsu, MD, a Yale Medicine orthopedic surgeon quoted by Yale New Haven Health.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This painstakingly restored 4K version looks and sounds gorgeous; cinematographer Dante Spinotti’s work glows with saturated vibrancy, and Michel Rubini and the Reds’ score vibrates on a spooky synth frequency.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • When the patch vibrates, that movement creates an electrical signal.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pulses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulses. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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