heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

1

: one complete pulsation of the heart

2

: the vital center or driving impulse

3

: a brief space of time : flash

—used chiefly in the phrase in a heartbeat

Synonyms of heartbeat

• minute
• second
• moment

Examples of heartbeat in a Sentence

The patient had a rapid heartbeat.

I'd accept a job offer from that company in a heartbeat.

Recent Examples on the Web

And down on the court at what is now M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion on campus or PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, there must be standard bearers, the current flesh and heartbeat and faces of UConn basketball. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026

Her team found a 77% higher rate of irregular heartbeats during the six weeks around the 2016 election, compared with a control period. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026

One promising alternative is to instead harvest energy from the body itself by capturing mechanical energy generated by the contraction of muscles, such as heartbeats, or the movement of fluids. — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026

The tree was donated after being meticulously chosen by Rockefeller Center’s head gardener, Erik Pauze, who has been scouting the trees that become the heartbeat of New York City’s holiday decor for decades. — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing heartbeat

• heartbeat law
• in a heartbeat

Rhymes for heartbeat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

: a single contracting and expanding of the heart

Medical Definition

heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

: one complete pulsation of the heart