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
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
The killing involved a lengthy beating and torture.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
But instead of beating Kelly, Troy, 18, shot him six times in the head and neck and robbed him with the help of a teenage boy.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beating
Noun
The film stars Vahid Mubasseri as a mechanic with painful kidney injuries from prison beatings who first follows the distinctive thumping sound of a prosthetic leg that’s etched on his brain and sets the plot in motion.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
The killing involved a lengthy beating and torture.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
With mixer on medium-low speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
But instead of beating Kelly, Troy, 18, shot him six times in the head and neck and robbed him with the help of a teenage boy.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beating
Noun
-
Athenians have been legume lovers since antiquity, and beans and pulses remain a fixture on meze menus the city over as a healthier, more affordable alternative to meat.—
Katherine Whittaker,
Saveur,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The purr of an engine was the pulse of performance – until a quiet revolution started taking shape under the surface.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Morrissey believes Mizzou will be able to compete with the Crimson Tide, unlike last year’s 34-0 shutout defeat on the road.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Oct. 2025
-
And when the intensity hovers, and the footsteps of defeat get closer, that’s when Gray cooks.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Here, a shopping mall serves as a safe haven from the undead pounding on the doors outside.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The service itself pulsed with sound with horns blaring, drums pounding and voices rising in song.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Mariners reached this year’s ALCS off the back of the longest winner-takes-all playoff game in MLB history on Friday, dramatically defeating the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in a four-hour, 58-minute contest.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Alabama continued its rebound from a Week 1 loss by defeating Missouri.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Launched from submerged submarines, the M51 can reach altitudes exceeding 2,000 kilometers and re-enters the atmosphere at speeds up to Mach 20, reflecting France’s focus on precision, reliability, and constant readiness in maintaining its 290-warhead nuclear deterrent.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Duties include overseeing complex financial operations exceeding $500 million; managing federal grant and state cash activities and leading multiple accounting units responsible for essential fiscal functions.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That’s why my leg is throbbing.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The first movie squeaked by thanks largely to its creation of a CG parallel universe of neon graphics, geometric lines and throbbing grids that was genuinely innovative for its time.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But its appeal can’t be divorced from the romance of its history, which properly began in the 19th century when English polo players began wearing oxford shirts as their preferred uniform, complete with collars that buttoned against the body to prevent their points from flapping in the wind.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Above it all, flapping in the wind, there’s the stars and stripes, that latecomer flag to native nations.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As today, the school had about 200 students ranging from preschoolers to eighth graders, drawing students primarily from the neighborhood.—
Jan Goldsmith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The United Kingdom, France, Australia and Canada, amongst a number of other western countries, have announced their recognition of Palestine, drawing condemnation from Netanyahu.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beating. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share