pit-a-pat

as in to throb
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-pat
Verb
  • My toothache throbbed all the way down my neck as my cab passed shop windows filled with fresh pasta the color of spring hay, icebergs of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and ladies forming tiny tortellini around their fingertips, before dropping me off at an anonymous building in the centro storico.
    Marcia DeSanctis, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2025
  • The next morning, my legs were still throbbing but guess what?
    Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The pick is for Turner to beat Bahamondes via knockout.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Without Messi in Mascherano’s preferred 4-4-2 formation, Inter Miami had a tough time beating Cavalier FC.
    Franco Panizo, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Keys rang out late as bass pulsed, with the band stretching out on the opener.
    Jim Ryan, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The mesmerizing movement of men tossing sticks of fire on the sand and people pulsing to the beat in a haze of hookah smoke felt like a scene plucked straight from the show.
    Anna Haines, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Pit-a-pat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pit-a-pat. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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