palpitate

verb

ˈpal-pə-ˌtāt How to pronounce palpitate (audio)
Definition of palpitatenext
as in to throb
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the man's heart began to palpitate, and he feared another attack was coming on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 palpitate But two sweaty and heart-palpitating afternoons at Foley Field spoke a truth about Georgia, bound for the College World Series for the first time since 2008. — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 8 June 2026 The finale had the impossible task of putting the monstrous show to an unquiet grave, and while some storylines seemed rushed and others completely ignored, even everyone’s least favorite season of GOT is heart palpitating. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025 The matte, phosphorescent sigils painted onto his robe appeared to palpitate in the low light. — Kent Russell, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022 In one of the raciest vignettes, a man buys and eats fresh dumplings on a train, intermittently palpitating his sore gums with his fingers. — Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 8 May 2020 Angelica Hernández's heart hasn't stopped palpitating for a week. — Author: Arelis R. Hernández, Cristina Corujo, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Jan. 2020 Angelica Hernández’s heart hasn’t stopped palpitating for a week. — Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2020 The past three seasons, their games were marked by palpitating comebacks. — New York Times, 23 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palpitate
  1. throb
  2. beat
  3. vibrate
  4. pulse
Verb
  • The depression is a gritty-slick coating that constantly throbs against my thoughts and my insides.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 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 throb
Verb
  • Never has a team appeared so beatable while so rarely being beaten.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • The Royals beat the Padres 6-1 to win the three-game series outright.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 19 July 2026
Definition of beat
Verb
  • Inside Lee Arena, a palpable energy vibrated through the crowd.
    — Latif Love July 23, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • The wallpaper in many of the rooms was removed due to the possibility of vibrating machinery damaging the delicate paper.
    — Ben Jureidini, Vanity Fair, 21 July 2026
Definition of vibrate
Verb
  • That’s several large cities’ worth of energy pulsing through a few big warehouses, all dedicated to bots.
    — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026
  • Yet the disorienting scale of the image and Ludwig Göransson’s pulsing, ethereal score yield an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026
Definition of pulse

Browse Nearby Words

palping
palpitate
palpitated
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Cite this Entry

“Palpitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palpitate. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of palpitate for Spanish Speakers

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