heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

1

: one complete pulsation of the heart

2

: the vital center or driving impulse

3

: a brief space of time : flash

—used chiefly in the phrase in a heartbeat

Synonyms

• beat
• eyeblink
• flash
• instant
• jiff
• jiffy
• minute
• moment
• nanosecond
• New York minute
• second
• shake
• split second
• trice
• twinkle
• twinkling
• wink

Examples of heartbeat in a Sentence

The patient had a rapid heartbeat.

I'd accept a job offer from that company in a heartbeat.

Recent Examples on the Web

Though her fetus was already pressing against her cervix, doctors waited 40 hours until the fetal heartbeat stopped to inducea delivery, putting her at serious risk of deadly infection. —Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 27 Mar. 2025

Donaldson is the heartbeat of the Michigan Wolverines, and his heart-stopping, circus-style scoop shot with 59 seconds remaining Saturday cemented their trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. —Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2025

According to the investigator, Arakawa was last seen alive around February 11 and Hackman likely died when his pacemaker last recorded his heartbeat on February 18. —Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025

This notion of a not a red, red, red, not an orange, but this notion of a heartbeat that is warm. —Megan Poinski, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing heartbeat

• heartbeat law
• in a heartbeat

Rhymes for heartbeat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

: a single contracting and expanding of the heart

Medical Definition

heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

: one complete pulsation of the heart