pulsate

verb

pul·​sate ˈpəl-ˌsāt How to pronounce pulsate (audio)
also ˌpəl-ˈsāt
pulsated; pulsating
Synonyms of pulsatenext

intransitive verb

1
: to throb or move rhythmically : vibrate
2
: to exhibit a pulse or pulsation : beat

Examples of pulsate in a Sentence

The lights pulsated with the music. People danced to the pulsating sounds of hip-hop. Virtually every scene of the movie pulsates with suspense.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Inside – which is to say, some hundred or so yards from here, at the center of the city block that had become a pulsating sea of blue and orange – the New York Knicks were in the midst of a stunning comeback to snag Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026 Marion Cotillard has one of the most intense roles of her career in Guillaume Canet‘s pulsating French thriller Karma, premiering out of competition tonight at the Cannes Film Festival, where the star has made many appearances and has two films this year in the official selection. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 May 2026 SeaWorld San Diego will host a nighttime spectacular with 600 aerial drones this summer that will light up the sky over Mission Bay with towering images of breaching whales, pulsating jellyfish and flipping dolphins. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 1 May 2026 The band began playing a pulsating country beat as the king stepped out of the car and began greeting people along the security barricade. Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pulsate

Word History

Etymology

in part borrowed from Latin pulsātus, past participle of pulsāre "to strike with repeated blows, beat, (in passive) beat wildly (of the heart)," frequentative or repetitive derivative of pellere "to beat against, push, strike"; in part from pulse entry 1 + -ate entry 4 — more at pulse entry 1

First Known Use

1744, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pulsate was in 1744

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pulsate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulsate. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

pulsate

verb
pul·​sate ˈpəl-ˌsāt How to pronounce pulsate (audio)
pulsated; pulsating
1
: to throb or move rhythmically
2
: to exhibit a pulse or pulsation : beat
a heart pulsating

Medical Definition

pulsate

intransitive verb
pul·​sate
ˈpəl-ˌsāt also ˌpəl-ˈ
pulsated; pulsating
: to exhibit a pulse or pulsation
a pulsating artery

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