beat; beaten
ˈbē-tᵊn 
or beat; beating; beats
or beat; beating; beats
1
: to strike repeatedly:
a
: to hit repeatedly so as to inflict pain
Inmates were put in solitary for beating other inmates.
—often used with up… brutes who beat up their victims without compunction …—
J. H. Plumb
J. H. Plumb
b
: to walk on : tread
beat the pavement looking for work
c
: to strike directly against forcefully and repeatedly : dash against
waves beating the shore
beat the door with her fists
d
: to flap or thrash at vigorously
a trapped bird beating the air
e
hunting
: to strike at in order to rouse game
beating a hedgerow
also
: to range over in or as if in quest of game
… beat the woods and rouse the bounding prey … —Matthew Prior
Matthew Prior
f
: to mix by stirring : whip
beat the eggs
—often used with up
g
: to strike repeatedly in order to produce music or a signal
beat a drum
2
a
: to drive or force by blows
beat back his attackers
b
: to pound into a powder, paste, or pulp
c
: to make by repeated treading or driving over
beat a path through the woods
d(1)
: to dislodge by repeated hitting
beat dust from the carpet
(2)
: to lodge securely by repeated striking
beat a stake into the ground
e
: to shape by beating
beat swords into plowshares
especially
: to flatten thin by blows
f
: to sound or express especially by drumbeat
beating out a rhythm on the conga
3
: to cause to strike or flap repeatedly
a bird beating its wings
4
b
: to prevail despite
beat the odds
5
a(1)
: to act ahead of usually so as to forestall
I was going to make the suggestion, but she beat me to it.
(2)
journalism
: to report a news item in advance of
beat the other networks
b
: to come or arrive before
I beat him to the finish line.
c
: circumvent
beat the system
d
sports
: to outmaneuver (a defender) and get free
The player attempts to beat the defender and score.
e
sports
: to score against (a goalkeeper)
6
: to produce (music or a signal) by striking something repeatedly : to indicate by beating
beat the tempo
1
a
: to become forcefully propelled forward : dash
waves beating against the shore
b
: to glare or strike with oppressive intensity
The sun beat down on us.
c
: to sustain distracting activity
… the turbulence of the Renaissance … beating about his head …—Douglas Stewart
Douglas Stewart
d
: to strike a drum repeatedly : to beat a drum
The drummers kept beating.
2
3
a
: to strike repeated blows
beating on the door
… their air attack still beating upon us …—Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill
b
: to strike the air : flap
The bird's wings beat frantically.
c
hunting
: to strike bushes or other cover in order to rouse game
also
: to range or scour for or as if for game
4
: to progress with much difficulty
5
nautical
: to sail to windward by a series of zigzag movements
beating along the coast
plural beats
1
b
: a sound produced by or as if by beating (see beat entry 1)
dance to the beat of the drums
listening to the beat of his heart
c
: a driving impact or force
… the full force of the surf beat …—Joyce Allan
Joyce Allan… the fierce beat of the eastern sun.—T. B. Costain
T. B. Costain2
: one swing of the pendulum or balance (see balance entry 1 sense 9) of a timepiece
3
a
: a regularly traversed round (see round entry 3 sense 6a)
a cop patrolling her beat
b
journalism
: a group of news sources that a reporter covers regularly
a reporter on the beat
4
a
: a metrical or rhythmic stress in poetry or music or the rhythmic effect of these stresses
four beats per bar
keeping a steady beat
b
music
: the tempo indicated (as by a conductor) to a musical performer
c
music
: the pronounced rhythm (see rhythm sense 2b) that is the characteristic driving force in some types of music (such as jazz or rock)
music with a Latin beat
also
: rock entry 2 sense 2
d
music
: the part of a rap song that is the base over which rap lyrics are added and that is usually composed using special software
The beat and lyrics were beautifully combined and his [Drake's] voice took it over the top.—Jaime Jimenez
Jaime JimenezThe art of the sample is intertwined with the history of hip-hop, beginning in the 1970s, when DJs would cut bits and pieces of disco and soul tracks together while MCs rhymed over the beat.—Meg Trogolo
Meg Trogolo[Leeroy] Green, who writes beats and music in collaboration with other artists, said he's currently wrapping up a single with rapper Zen Dash.—Jim Testa
Jim Testa5
a
: one that excels
I've never seen the beat of it.
b
journalism
: the reporting of a news story ahead of competitors
6
: deadbeat
7
nautical
a
: an act of sailing toward the side or direction from which the wind is blowing by a series of zigzag movements : an act of beating (see beat entry 1 sense intransitive 5) to windward
b
: one of the reaches (see reach entry 2 sense 1) in the zigzag course so traversed : tack
8
physics
: each of the pulsations of amplitude (see amplitude sense 1a) produced by the union of sound or radio waves or electric currents having different frequencies
9
dance
: an accented stroke (as of one leg or foot against the other)
10
: moment
waited a beat before responding
1
a
: being in a state of exhaustion : exhausted
Sometimes I'd be so beat that I'd flop down and go to sleep fully dressed.—Polly Adler
Polly Adler
b
: sapped of resolution or morale
2
often capitalized
[earliest in beat generation; perhaps in part by association with beat entry 2 in sense "pronounced rhythm" or -beat in deadbeat entry 1]
: of, relating to, or being beatniks
beat poets
Phrases
beat about the bush
or beat around the bush
: to fail or refuse to come to the point in discourse
Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want.
: to leave in haste
: to try intently to resolve something difficult by thinking
I beat my brains out trying to figure it out.
: to search thoroughly through all possible areas
: to proclaim as meritorious or significant : publicize vigorously
beating the drum for their candidate
: to defeat or surpass overwhelmingly
We vowed to beat the pants off them next time.
: to escape or evade the penalties connected with an accusation or charge
: to attack physically or verbally
She was getting beat up on by her critics.
: in a very energetic or forceful manner
talking away to beat the band
chiefly US
: to have difficulty in continuing : to stop or hesitate briefly
—often used in negative constructions
A few minutes later, the power cuts out …, but Achmed doesn't miss a beat; clearly, he's used to this.—Eric Weiner
Eric WeinerExamples of beat in a Sentence
Verb
He beat the dust out of the rug with a stick.
She used a hammer to beat the metal into shape.
She used a hammer to beat the nail into the wall.
The dented metal was beaten flat.
The waves were beating the shore.
He beat at the door with his fists.
The waves were beating on the shore.
The rain beat on the roof.
They beat him with clubs.
a man accused of beating his wife
Noun (1)
delivered one hard beat on the drums
a single beat of the heart is said to be all that separates the vice president from the presidency
moved to the beat of the music
within a beat he was on the phone complaining about an error in his bill
Adjective
Let me sit down. I'm absolutely beat!
can we pick this up tomorrow, because I'm beat?
Recent Examples on the Web
Dj Siddiqi, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
This, in turn, provoked police to wade into the crowd, beating people with nightsticks.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 10 June 2025
Breanne L. Heldman, People.com, 12 June 2025
Thomas, his dad and the group’s facilitator, does not miss a beat.
—Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 6 June 2025
What history shows: Apple has a history of topping earnings expectations with a beat rate of nearly 90%, according to Bespoke.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beat
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.
Verb
Gordon mentions beating the Bears’ rivals as one of his key team goals for the 2025 season.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
This, in turn, provoked police to wade into the crowd, beating people with nightsticks.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 10 June 2025
Noun
In another beat, Hynes hugs a set of best friends, and Bennett and Brown are seen chatting with a mother, her daughter and daughter-in-law.
—Breanne L. Heldman, People.com, 12 June 2025
Thomas, his dad and the group’s facilitator, does not miss a beat.
—Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Adjective
The beat switch with the Eight Mile aesthetic was magical.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 6 June 2025
What history shows: Apple has a history of topping earnings expectations with a beat rate of nearly 90%, according to Bespoke.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beat
Cite this Entry
“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beat. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
beat
1 of 3 verb
beat; beaten
ˈbēt-ᵊn
or beat; beating
or beat; beating
1
a
: to hit again and again
beat a drum
rain beating on the roof
—often used with uptwo bullies beat him up
b
: to flap against
wings beating the air
c
: to mix by stirring : whip
beat two eggs
2
a
: to drive or force by blows
beat off the intruder
b
: to make by walking or riding over
beat a path
c
: to shape by blows
beat gold into thin strips
3
: to cause to strike or flap repeatedly
birds beating their wings
4
a
: to win against : defeat
b
: baffle entry 1 sense 1
it beats me where they are
c
: surpass sense 1
can you beat that?
5
a
: to act ahead of
beat me to the punch
b
: to arrive before
beat us home
6
: to measure or mark off by strokes
beat time to the music
7
: to glare or strike harshly
the sun beats down
beater
noun
beat
2 of 3 noun1
a
: a stroke or blow especially in a series
b
c
: a sound produced by or as if by beating
the beat of waves against the rock
2
a
: a rhythmic stress in poetry or music
b
: the tempo given to a musical performer
c
: rhythm sense 2
likes music with a Latin beat
3
: a place or area regularly visited in the course of work or duty
a police officer's beat
a reporter's beat
beat
3 of 3 adjective1
: being tired out
2
: having lost one's morale
Medical Definition
beat
2 of 2 noun
: a single stroke or pulsation (as of the heart)
ectopic beats
see extrasystole
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