as in throbbing
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-patting
Verb
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The light bled red at Sixty-Seventh and Pacific, music throbbing through the speakers as Olivia Borsutzki relaxed her foot from the brake.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026 -
And yet, as dynasties could emerge across a number of divisions in boys hockey this postseason, none should diminish what will be yet another heart-throbbing three weeks.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Congratulations to 16-year-old Mathis Albert, who came on as a late substitute for Dortmund and became the youngest American to play in the Bundesliga, beating Gio Reyna’s record.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Aside from beating the stuffing out of a life-sized penguin plushie, Gritty has mocked — and stalked — the team's fans.—
Kaitlyn McCormick,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Electrons vibrating in some container.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The vibrating phone on the nightstand rattled again, pulling her fully awake.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ultra-fine sugars, or even pulsing your sugar in the food processor beforehand, can make the crystals smaller and easier to incorporate.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
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The sun is hot, the beats are loud and Fort Lauderdale Beach is once again pulsing with the energy of the annual Tortuga Music Festival, a three-day event that brings up to 100,000 music lovers to the sand and surf for one of the city's biggest weekends of the year.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pit-a-patting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pit-a-patting. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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