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 WebHer canvases pulsated with brown hues, chromes, and crimson applied through watercolor ink to stroke the urgency of the situation in Gaza.—Hoda Sherif, TIME, 10 May 2024 From the earthly delights of sculpted cheekbones and smoky eyes to the aquatic allure of iridescent highlights and shimmering glosses, every corner of GOSPEL NYC pulsated with the energy of possibility and the promise of transformation.—Grace Bukunmi, Essence, 8 May 2024 Thankfully, longtime fans weren’t disappointed last night, since with 20 instrumentalists wedged onto the Gilman Opera House stage, Bang on a Can Allstars expertly translated the singular harmonic complexity and pulsating dynamics of 18 Musicians.—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 6 May 2024 Hundreds of high school recruits and former players milled about on the field, some bopping to the pulsating music.—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024 Shame pulsates through the introspective track released a month after Curtis’ suicide in March 1980.—Shannon Carlin, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024 Just last week, in Rock Springs, Wyoming, several witnesses saw a weird, pulsating light in the skies over the Green River.—Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Through dynamic cinematography and a pulsating soundtrack, Waves presents an emotional odyssey that reflects on forgiveness and healing, showcasing the indomitable spirit of youth.—Travis Bean, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024 The American duo waged a pulsating third round battle at the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament on Saturday, and had looked on course to head into the final round level at the top before reigning US Open champion Clark chunked his first swing at the penultimate 123-yard par-three hole.—Jack Bantock, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pulsate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
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