beep

1 of 2

verb

ˈbēp 

beeped; beeping; beeps

transitive verb

1

: to cause to sound

beep a horn

2

: to send a message to (someone) with a beeper

Dr. Khoury was beeped to perform an emergency operation at American University Hospital.

—Scot Macleod

intransitive verb

1

: to sound a horn

2

: to make a beep

beep

2 of 2

noun

: a short usually high-pitched sound (as from a horn or an electronic device) that serves as a signal or warning

Examples of beep in a Sentence

Verb

Why did you beep your horn at her?

She beeped at me first.

Something is beeping in the kitchen.

I could hear a beeping noise.

Noun

the beep of a car horn

Please leave a message after the beep.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Infantino, then 24, got into his car with some friends and drove around town, beeping their horns, twirling their flags and singing songs in celebration. —James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 June 2025

Even though all the beds are empty, the heart monitors beside them are still beeping, in unison, at seventy-five beats per minute. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 June 2025

Noun

The cane vibrates and beeps when the bulb at the end of the cane detects an approaching obstacle like a pedestrian or tree. —Alan Schwarz, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

Current beep Mark Levine is not seeking reelection, instead running for city comptroller. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

from beep-beep, imitative of the sound of a horn, or verbal derivative of beep entry 2

Noun

earlier beep-beep, imitative of the sound of a horn

First Known Use

Verb

1933, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for beep

• cheap
• creep
• deep
• heap
• jeep
• keep
• leap
• peep
• reap
• seep
• sheep
• sleep

Kids Definition

beep

noun

ˈbēp

: a sound that signals or warns

beep verb