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

The team has scored at least 34 points in each of its past three games, handing the San Francisco 49ers' defense its worst beating of the season Sunday as measured by EPA per play. —Mike Sando, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025

Their brutality came to light after the fatal beating of Preston Lord, a 16-year-old attacked at a Halloween party in October 2023. —Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 9 Nov. 2025

Arthur is known as Conkling’s hatchet man, a customs collector for the Port of New York who’s shown, in one amusing snippet, presiding over the beating of a noncompliant businessman. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025

The man previously on Florida’s Death Row for beating, stabbing and strangling a La Carreta waitress with a rice cooker — before lighting a blaze to destroy key evidence — should be condemned to die, Miami prosecutors told a jury after detailing the slaying on Wednesday morning. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 5 Nov. 2025

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