beating

noun

beat·​ing ˈbē-tiŋ How to pronounce beating (audio)
1
: an act of striking with repeated blows so as to injure or damage
also : the injury or damage thus inflicted
2
3

Examples of beating in a Sentence

he wears a pacemaker to help maintain a regular beating of his heart took a beating and ended up in second place
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.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was hospitalized in critical condition after the arrest and died three days later from injuries sustained during the beating. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 8 May 2025 Release of video of the beating sparked protests and vigils across the nation and calls for change within the Memphis Police Department. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 May 2025 The beating continued even after he was restrained and crying out for his mother. Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025 In that case, detectives traced cellphones and used camera footage to tie the suspects to the beating. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for beating

Word History

Etymology

Middle English betynge, from gerund of beten "to beat entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beating was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beating. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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