beatdown

noun

beat·​down ˈbēt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce beatdown (audio)
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 Texans took down the Cleveland Browns at home in a 45-14 beatdown of the team that had allowed the fewest yards per game of any in the NFL during the regular season. Jack McKessy, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 Their 55-10 beatdown of the Broncos is the most lopsided in Super Bowl history and also represents the most points scored by one team. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024 Cronin said his team’s resurgence was a result of incremental improvement, not motivation from a beatdown. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024 New York won its three playoff games by an average of 27.3 points, including a 49-3 beatdown of Montana's Niners. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024 Both teams are coming off big-time wins in the wild-card round, with the Lions ending the longest playoff winless drought in the four major pro sports by defeating the Rams, 24-23; the Bucs have one day less of rest, having played Monday night in a 32-9 beatdown of the Eagles in Tampa. Detroit Free Press, 20 Jan. 2024 Looking lost three weeks ago after a 46-point beatdown against Utah, UCLA (11-11 overall, 6-5 Pac-12) is suddenly only 1½ games out of first place in the conference standings after knocking Oregon (15-7, 7-4) into second behind front-runner Arizona. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024 Namely, that Smith and not Anderson was the actual triggerman that night in retaliation for the beatdown at the MGM. John L. Smith, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2024 Related Articles Dolphins’ Rob Hunt, Jerome Baker could both be back in time to face rival that has given them AFC East heartbreak Dolphins-Bills predictions: Can Miami rebound from beatdown in Baltimore to win division title and secure No. 2 seed in AFC? Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beatdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1989, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beatdown was in 1989

Dictionary Entries Near beatdown

Cite this Entry

“Beatdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beatdown. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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