To palpitate means to beat rapidly or irregularly, especially when describing the heart. When you're nervous before giving a speech in front of the whole school, your heart might palpitate, thumping so hard and fast you can feel it pounding in your chest. Athletes sometimes feel their hearts palpitate after a sprint, or you might notice yours palpitating if you get startled by a sudden loud noise.

It captures that fluttery, thumping sensation when your heartbeat becomes noticeable and intense. Doctors use palpitations (the noun form) to describe the feeling patients report when their hearts race or skip beats.

While palpitating usually happens during moments of excitement, fear, or physical exertion, the word can also describe anything that trembles or quivers with a pulse-like rhythm. Writers might describe leaves palpitating in the wind or a character's temples palpitating with tension. But most commonly, you'll encounter this word when someone's heart is beating so hard they can't help but notice it.