pulse
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for pulse, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The regular beat you feel in an artery, caused by the heart pumping blood.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use pulse
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin pulsus, "beat" or "stroke," from pellere, "to drive or strike."
Full origin of pulse →Frequently asked questions
What does “pulse” mean?
The word “pulse” means the regular beat you feel in an artery, caused by the heart pumping blood. In plain terms, a heartbeat-like rhythm, a short burst of energy, or (as food) a dried bean, pea, or lentil.
How do you pronounce “pulse”?
“Pulse” is pronounced puhls (/pʌls/ in IPA).
How do you use “pulse” in a sentence?
Here is “pulse” used in a sentence: “The nurse checked his pulse at the wrist.”
What part of speech is “pulse”?
Depending on how it is used, “pulse” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “pulse” come from?
The word “pulse” comes from Latin. From Latin pulsus, "beat" or "stroke," from pellere, "to drive or strike.".
Is “pulse” a common word?
“Pulse” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “pulse” have?
“Pulse” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the regular beat you feel in an artery, caused by the heart pumping blood.
Why are lentils and beans called pulses?
In food and farming, a pulse is the edible seed of a legume plant, so lentils, chickpeas, beans, and dried peas are all pulses. This is a separate sense of the word from the heartbeat meaning, with a different origin. Crops eaten fresh, such as green beans and garden peas, are usually treated as vegetables rather than pulses.
What is the difference between pulse and heart rate?
Your pulse is the regular beat you can feel in an artery, caused by the heart pumping blood, while heart rate is the number of times the heart beats per minute. In a healthy person the pulse rate and heart rate are normally the same number, which is why feeling the pulse at the wrist or neck is used to measure heart rate.
What is a pulse in physics or electronics?
In technical contexts, a pulse is a brief burst of energy, sound, or signal, often repeated in a sequence — for example, electrical pulses in a circuit, radar pulses, or pulses of light in fiber-optic cables. The related verb means to send something out in short bursts.