pulsate

verb

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

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
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.
The performance categories may have been too far out of reach, but the pulsating score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Justin Kuritzkes’ original screenplay and Marco Costa’s editing were on several scoresheets. Alex Ritman, Variety, 15 Jan. 2025 But with a 3-2 between West Ham and Fulham, a pulsating 1-1 between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, and another 2-2 between Brentford and Manchester City, this game wasn’t an outlier, but almost standard fare for this era of Premier League football. Michael Cox, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025 Sophie seamlessly weaves erratic and mystifying synths with ominous soundscapes, pure pop perfection, catchy lyrics, pulsating bass, effervescent production, emotive stylings and more to create a cohesive body of work. Lisa Kocay, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 With its multiple floors and even deeper catalog, the Tower store in downtown New York felt like a more vital, pulsating music gathering place. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near pulsate

Cite this Entry

“Pulsate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulsate. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on pulsate

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