as in throbbed
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner
her heart pit-a-patted with surprise
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pit-a-patted
Verb
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Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026 -
The upper blocks throbbed and pulsed a deep blue, reflecting the pond’s windblown currents.—
Jack Korngold,
Rolling Stone,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Freshman midfielder Quinn Fahey scored the lone goal for the Eagles (6-5-2, 3-2), who beat Andrew for the first time since 2021.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Led by starter Martín Pérez, the Braves started off another series with a victory by beating the Tigers 5-2 at Truist Park on Tuesday.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Both Angela Ingersoll, who played the ever-hopeful Sally, and Michelle Duffy, as the cynical realist Phyllis, pulsed with vivacious energy, playing across from Rapp’s sardonic take on wound-tight Ben and Wallem’s deeply sad exploration of Buddy.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Multi-wave pulsed electromagnetic fields will also, well, pulse through the chamber and into my body during the 25-minute session.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The pilot of a helicopter that crashed on a sightseeing flight off the Hawaiian island of Kauai last month, killing three passengers, told investigators that the aircraft vibrated and spun before plunging into the water, according to report released Friday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The envelope all but vibrated in her hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pit-a-patted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pit-a-patted. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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