1
as in pulse
a rhythmic expanding and contracting
he wears a pacemaker to help maintain a regular beating of his heart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in defeat
failure to win a contest
took a beating and ended up in second place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in defeating
to achieve a victory over
she always beats everyone at checkers, but she's not as good at chess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in exceeding
to be greater, better, or stronger than
this new animated feature sure beats everything else that's ever been done in animation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in throbbing
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner
the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in flapping
to move or cause to move with a striking motion
the bird's wings beat strongly as it soared in the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in frustrating
to prevent from achieving a goal
you beat me to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in drawing
to shape with a hammer
the medieval artisans who beat iron into exquisite swords
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in burning
to shine with a bright harsh light
the tropical sun beat down on our heads without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in tapping
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
beat the drum in a marching rhythm
Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in baffling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it beats me how that slipup happened
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in circumventing
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
he spends all of his time trying to beat the system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in grinding
to reduce to fine particles
years of pounding had beaten the pebbles to a fine dust
Synonyms & Similar Words
13
as in cheating
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the screenwriter has filed a lawsuit, accusing the production company of beating him out of his share of the film's net profits
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 beating
Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
That included the two Martinez men and Joseph Hernandez, who did not participate in the beating but was characterized as a lookout who warded off attention from other inmates while the attack was underway.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026
Denise attacked Djena again, beating her until Mohamed and their eldest son, Ahmed, pulled her off.
—Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for beating
Noun
Poems commemorating Ḥusayn and his virtues are recited, and the assemblies of mourning conclude with rhythmic chest-beating accompanying the poetry.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
That included the two Martinez men and Joseph Hernandez, who did not participate in the beating but was characterized as a lookout who warded off attention from other inmates while the attack was underway.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Verb
Viewers have been beating that drum since the series debuted in 1999 and all these years later, Fazekas is still looking for ways to capitalize on their addictive chemistry.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026
Denise attacked Djena again, beating her until Mohamed and their eldest son, Ahmed, pulled her off.
—Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for beating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beating
Noun
-
As normal energy barriers usually block hopfions from forming, the team used ultra-fast femtosecond laser pulses to shock the spin system out of equilibrium.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
26 May 2026
-
Exit interviews and pulse surveys tell you what already broke.—
Jo Self,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
That actually proved the prelude to an even more extraordinary attack on the board in his post-match press conference just 24 hours later, following a 2-1 defeat by Sunderland.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
The latest came in a 111-104 loss to the expansion Toronto Tempo on Wednesday at Wintrust Arena — the Sky’s third straight defeat since the season-ending loss of Rickea Jackson to a torn ACL.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The segments that follow Bonnier de La Chapelle are admittedly more successful and sophisticated, bringing to mind the heart-pounding essence of a Costa-Gavras political thriller.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
25 May 2026
-
Moore and Kaveon Jackson took turns pounding the ball on the ground and then Nordman hit Moore with the big touchdown from 15 yards out that set off a wild DeLand celebration on the Bulldogs’ sideline.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Giuliani ran on both the Republican and Liberal Party lines, defeating David Dinkins in a 1993 rematch.—
John Avlon,
The Atlantic,
25 May 2026
-
Last month, Allin shocked the wrestling world by defeating the champ on AEW’s weekly episodic TV show Dynamite.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
The foundry division recorded a loss exceeding $10 billion in the last quarter.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
That’s because the new fee study found that Encinitas is already exceeding its goal of setting aside 3% of its land for park areas, Councilmember Joy Lyndes said.—
Barbara Henry,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The light bled red at Sixty-Seventh and Pacific, music throbbing through the speakers as Olivia Borsutzki relaxed her foot from the brake.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
And yet, as dynasties could emerge across a number of divisions in boys hockey this postseason, none should diminish what will be yet another heart-throbbing three weeks.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The fathers, faces ruddy, prayed in Latin for her soul, black robes flapping in the wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
There is a whole class of flying machine known as Ornithopters with flapping wings, most of which have been notably unsuccessful.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
-
Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beating. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
