beating

noun

beat·​ing ˈbē-tiŋ 

1

: an act of striking with repeated blows so as to injure or damage

also : the injury or damage thus inflicted

2

: pulsation

3

: defeat, setback

Synonyms of beating

• pulse
• throb
• beat

Examples of beating in a Sentence

he wears a pacemaker to help maintain a regular beating of his heart

took a beating and ended up in second place

Recent Examples on the Web

Jurors convicted a man of child abuse and torture in the October 2022 beating of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said. —Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 13 Mar. 2026

If the rocks fell, the beatings grew worse. —Mark Banchereau, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026

If the rocks fell, the beatings grew worse. —Mark Banchereau The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026

The suspects — identified as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Muhammadsobir Fayzov — appeared in a Russian court showing signs of severe beatings. —CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English betynge, from gerund of beten "to beat entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing beating

• beating reed
• breast-beating
• take a beating
• take some beating
• world-beating

Rhymes for beating

• bleating
• cheating
• eating
• fleeting
• greeting
• heating
• meeting
• seating
• sheeting
• sweeting
• treating
• accreting