beat 1 of 3

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as in to throb
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beat

2 of 3

noun

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as in pulse
a rhythmic expanding and contracting a single beat of the heart is said to be all that separates the vice president from the presidency

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in rhythm
the recurrent pattern formed by a series of sounds having a regular rise and fall in intensity moved to the beat of the music

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

beat

3 of 3

adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of beat
Verb
Because the last time Swift wore Chanel was to watch the Chiefs beat the Texans on December 21. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Jan. 2025 Prior to beating Georgetown, DePaul’s last Big East win was over No. 8 Xavier on Jan. 18, 2023. Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 18 Jan. 2025
Noun
Brooks, a graduate of the University of Texas, has received APSE National Top 10 honors eight times for his reporting, which includes his beat writing coverage during the 2022 season. Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025 During my six seasons on the beat, Dart was easily USC’s second-best quarterback behind Caleb Williams, and a great kid to boot. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
The Corpse Had a Familiar Face by Edna Buchanan Amazon Edna Buchanan was a beat reporter for the Miami Herald, and this book, which came out in the late eighties, is a kind of journalistic memoir about her eighteen-year career covering crime there. The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024 Shortstop Miguel Rojas is so beat up he was restricted to the bench. Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for beat 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Verb
  • Buffy loves to groom—in other words, lick—my hair, probably as an act of dominance, according to my vet.
    Elizabeth Denton, Allure, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Having another week off to lick wounds is pretty nice, too.
    Tom Layberger, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In a nearly a three-hour match Friday in Melbourne, Vekić defeated No. 12 seed Diana Shnaider 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 7-5 to advance to the round of 16.
    Jill Martin, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
  • But the white population usually defeats the preferred candidate of Black voters.
    Cheyanne M. Daniels, The Hill, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • For the first time in the 22-year history of Randstad's annual review of the world of work, surpassed pay (79 percent) as a key motivator for employees.
    Aliss Higham, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
  • All kidding aside, the Wild have surpassed the expectations of many, including The Athletic staff.
    Michael Russo, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • It’s heard in markets or throbbing from taxi radios and speakers in rickety roadside bars.
    Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2025
  • From the ankle that throbs as if it had been twisted, to the head that feels as if it had been placed in a bench vise, the body is a ladder whose rungs are aches and pains.
    Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Pulling the lever for Ann made my young Texan feminist heart flutter.
    Ilyse Hogue, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Native to areas of the Mediterranean such as Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Israel, this low-growing plant has delicate flowers that flutter on long stems above silvery or variegated leaves.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • And with all the investigative resources and research methods of academia, I have been frustrated by the death of expertise on social media platforms that value high-frequency reactions and often baseless punditry—not rigor.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The most recent deadline extensions weren’t announced until the day before the vouchers were set to expire, which frustrated him.
    Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Her home takes its cues from Milan design, mixing vintage and artisanal pieces, a style Elsesser has been drawn to since her many travels to Italy’s fashion capital.
    Amy Bradford, Architectural Digest, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Trump’s threats to take control of the Panama Canal have drawn stern rebukes from the Central American country’s president.
    Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The lightweight Ilia Liquid Light Serum Highlighter has a subtle, dewy glow.
    Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Many acne-prone reviewers praise its ability to lighten acne scars and calm any redness for a more radiant, smooth, soft, even, and glowing complexion.
    Elizabeth Mitchell Kadar, Glamour, 22 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near beat

Cite this Entry

“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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