beatdown

noun

beat·​down ˈbēt-ˌdau̇n 

1

US, informal : a violent physical beating

… said his own client was badly hurt in a beatdown by NYPD officers …

—Shayna Jacobs

2

US, informal : an emphatic or overwhelming defeat

… he was sitting in his Eugene hotel room, … while absorbing a beatdown in PlayStation 3 boxing from his 10-year-old brother Seth.

—Tim Layden

Examples of beatdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 49ers sure haven't forgotten being on the receiving end of Hurts orchestrating a big game beatdown. —CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026

The Jaguars technically lost another home game, a 35-7 beatdown versus the Los Angeles Rams in London. —Tim Graham, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026

Viral Cincinnati beatdown sparks racial tensions A violent beating in downtown Cincinnati rocked the nation after video of a group of Black suspects were filmed pummeling at least two White victims in images that quickly went viral online. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025

Patrick previously recalled what Gandolfini said to him ahead of the beatdown Tony was going to give the indebted Davey. —Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for beatdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown