as in to feel
medical
to examine (part of the body) by touching it
The doctor palpated his ribs to see if there was any tenderness.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of palpate
Expect a thorough exam, during which the provider will palpate (touch) the bicep, check for swelling or tenderness, and assess your range of motion and strength.
—
Sarah Jividen, Health, 11 Oct. 2024
At your prenatal visits, your doctor or midwife will check your baby's position by palpating or feeling your belly to find the baby’s head, back, and bottom.
—Donna Murray, Rn, Parents, 25 July 2024
The lead veterinarian, Cristina Buitrago, knelt and palpated the hippo’s abdomen to feel for his testicles, located in the inguinal canal.
—Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024
Providers may need to use special techniques during manual cancer exams in people with obesity, like when palpating larger breasts or performing a rectal exam.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 19 Jan. 2024
Kuang’s narrative palpates the nuances of cultural performance and writerly ethics, finally concluding that all authors steal for material anyway.
—Zoe Hu, Washington Post, 12 May 2023
Interpreting Results To determine whether dry needling is an effective treatment for you, your healthcare provider or therapist will palpate your trigger points and ask you about your level of pain, movement, and stiffness following your session.
—Brittany Ferri, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2023
Determined faces, arms and hands plunged into a heap of apricots, one euro per kilo, palpating and rejecting them, stuffing them in bags, in a joyous frenzy of gathering.
—Annie Ernaux, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2023
Teachers and students forget that the ability to palpate is not the same as the ability to feel.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2016
Sarah Jividen, Health, 11 Oct. 2024
At your prenatal visits, your doctor or midwife will check your baby's position by palpating or feeling your belly to find the baby’s head, back, and bottom.
—Donna Murray, Rn, Parents, 25 July 2024
The lead veterinarian, Cristina Buitrago, knelt and palpated the hippo’s abdomen to feel for his testicles, located in the inguinal canal.
—Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024
Providers may need to use special techniques during manual cancer exams in people with obesity, like when palpating larger breasts or performing a rectal exam.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 19 Jan. 2024
Kuang’s narrative palpates the nuances of cultural performance and writerly ethics, finally concluding that all authors steal for material anyway.
—Zoe Hu, Washington Post, 12 May 2023
Interpreting Results To determine whether dry needling is an effective treatment for you, your healthcare provider or therapist will palpate your trigger points and ask you about your level of pain, movement, and stiffness following your session.
—Brittany Ferri, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2023
Determined faces, arms and hands plunged into a heap of apricots, one euro per kilo, palpating and rejecting them, stuffing them in bags, in a joyous frenzy of gathering.
—Annie Ernaux, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2023
Teachers and students forget that the ability to palpate is not the same as the ability to feel.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palpate
Verb
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All three of those Grizzlies defeats were decided in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, but the loss of Jackson will be the one that’s felt the most.—
William Guillory,
The Athletic,
5 Mar. 2025
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As for girls in bigger bodies who might have wanted to test out their moves but never felt confident enough to try?—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Novelty, touch me surfaces, remarkable rich and playful colors livened up our buying prospects for fall.—
Luisa Zargani,
WWD,
2 Mar. 2025
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The setting is a bit of a fever dream, but the art is whimsical and touches on trauma and neuroscience in an interesting way.—
Urmila Ramakrishnan,
Bon Appétit,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Her hair, which was shaved down to a buzz cut for her surgery, appeared to be much darker than her usual blonde.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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Newcomers like closer Devin Williams, who has already shaved off his signature beard from his days with the Milwaukee Brewers, are among those who could start letting their facial hair grow out again.—
Scott Thompson,
Fox News,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Disinviting him would be the typical Canadian foreign policy move: feel good and pat yourself in the back but achieve nothing.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Video captured the extended greeting between the presidents, who patted each other's shoulders and firmly shook hands for around 15 seconds.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Palpate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palpate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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