as in throbbing
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Dissimilar Words
as in pulsing
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner
the heart muscle pulsates regularly to pump blood
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Recent Examples of pulsating
ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
To experience the city’s culture at its most pulsating, visit during the annual Carnaval de Limón in October.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
The relentlessly pulsating tempo of the record is tailor-made for the most full-throttle parts of 5SOS’ live show.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
On March 6, for example, a participant named Malcolm posted a report describing red, green and amber arcs and pulsating patches from his base in Scotland.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Eventually, as darkness descended, hundreds of shimmering dots coalesced to form a pulsating galaxy of light.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
With pulsating strobe lights and a head-banging remix to Britney Spears’s Toxic blaring overhead, models stomped out in clothes that could go straight from the runway and into the nearest nightclub.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
The finale came at the end of a pulsating match that featured two goals apiece from West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and Brentford’s Igor Thiago.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
In Milan, the pulsating cauldron inspired by the sun will burn at Arco della Pace.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
For over 20 years, the South African artist has been one of the genre’s true workhorses, building up an intimidating discography under names like Echologist and Beat Pharmacy and applying the style’s pearlescent, pulsating aesthetic to a range of frameworks.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
And because Bad Bunny is the halftime show headliner this year, the restaurant will have the six-time, history-making Grammy winner‘s music as its pulsating soundtrack throughout the main dining room and their new speakeasy.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
However, the 10 men kept plugging away in what was a pulsating end-to-end encounter and got a goal back after 68 minutes when Casemiro bulleted a header past Karl Darlow from a Ruben Fernandes cross.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
To experience the city’s culture at its most pulsating, visit during the annual Carnaval de Limón in October.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
The relentlessly pulsating tempo of the record is tailor-made for the most full-throttle parts of 5SOS’ live show.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
Working together, Lipsztein and Coimbra decided to create a thriller with a pulsating human core, and getting the tone right from the pilot was key.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
On March 6, for example, a participant named Malcolm posted a report describing red, green and amber arcs and pulsating patches from his base in Scotland.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Eventually, as darkness descended, hundreds of shimmering dots coalesced to form a pulsating galaxy of light.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
With pulsating strobe lights and a head-banging remix to Britney Spears’s Toxic blaring overhead, models stomped out in clothes that could go straight from the runway and into the nearest nightclub.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
The finale came at the end of a pulsating match that featured two goals apiece from West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and Brentford’s Igor Thiago.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
In Milan, the pulsating cauldron inspired by the sun will burn at Arco della Pace.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
For over 20 years, the South African artist has been one of the genre’s true workhorses, building up an intimidating discography under names like Echologist and Beat Pharmacy and applying the style’s pearlescent, pulsating aesthetic to a range of frameworks.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
And because Bad Bunny is the halftime show headliner this year, the restaurant will have the six-time, history-making Grammy winner‘s music as its pulsating soundtrack throughout the main dining room and their new speakeasy.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulsating
Adjective
-
Tucked into the historic heart of Copenhagen, in the neighborhood of Norreport, there is nothing that cannot be accessed easily from here, whether the best bakeries, small, relaxed eateries, cute design shops, peaceful parks, or even the throbbing Nyhavn.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
If not remedied, this will progress to a tingling and later a throbbing sensation.—
Karl Hille,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
Adjective
-
Relevant, heart-palpitating, thoughtful, emotional, tense, thrilling, devastating and joyful.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Electrons vibrating in some container.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The vibrating phone on the nightstand rattled again, pulling her fully awake.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Pulsating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulsating. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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