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.
More a feature than a duet, but John’s emphatic vocals here pair well with the Gorillaz pulsating sound. Shana Naomi Krochmal, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025 Getty Images News | Getty Images British national Tony Cross first set foot in Singapore in 1992, when the city-state’s main draws were its glitzy malls, the pulsating Zouk nightclub and the renowned Singapore Zoo. Kevin Lim, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2025 The pulsating warlike dances return, and the queen scribbles madly on the ground before collapsing before us. Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 With its pulsating electronic beat and avant-garde fashions (that archival Olivier Theyskens!), the song had Little Monsters putting their paws up in awe. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pulsate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulsate. Accessed 20 Apr. 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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