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beatdown

noun

beat·​down ˈbēt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce beatdown (audio)
1
US, informal : a violent physical beating
… said his own client was badly hurt in a beatdown by NYPD officers …Shayna Jacobs
2
US, informal : an emphatic or overwhelming defeat
… he was sitting in his Eugene hotel room, … while absorbing a beatdown in PlayStation 3 boxing from his 10-year-old brother Seth.Tim Layden

Examples of beatdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Although the rest of the district got bounced, Argyle flexed its strength with a 56-0 beatdown of Lucas Lovejoy, a squad led by former Southlake Carroll head coach Todd Dodge, a seven-time state champion. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Nov. 2025 The beatdown sparked a local and national debate about crime, public safety and race in the Queen City. Jennifer Edwards Baker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Oct. 2025 Because the 31-6 beatdown in Cleveland last week left doubt. Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025 After this beatdown, a bowl appearance looks like a stretch for CU. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beatdown

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beatdown was in 1913

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Cite this Entry

“Beatdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beatdown. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.

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