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

• beat
• palpitation
• pulsation
• pulse
• throb

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

Prosecutors told jurors that the beatings that ultimately killed little Ayden began the day before his death. —Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025

Edgar put a beating on Rodriguez that night at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, closing Rodriguez’s left eye by the end of the second round. —Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025

After all, the top tech companies are taking an absolute beating, with the Magnificent 7 losing more than $1 trillion in the past three trading days alone. —Axios, 8 Apr. 2025

Deadline has learned the Academy’s board of governors is meeting in extraordinary session this morning to confront a deepening crisis over its response to the beating and detention of Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, one of the directors of No Other Land. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 Mar. 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