beating

noun

beat·​ing ˈbē-tiŋ How to pronounce beating (audio)
Synonyms of beatingnext
1
: an act of striking with repeated blows so as to injure or damage
also : the injury or damage thus inflicted
2
3

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
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.
Two other hikers had partly witnessed the assault and corroborated Arielle Konig's account of what happened during the beating. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026 Back then, as Gateshead ran riot in the Conference (now called the National League), there was a lot more to concern supporters than a heavy beating on the pitch. Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 The torture and the beatings and the -- the attempts to kill him and all of that. Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026 During pregame warmups David Beckham and the Mas brothers walked toward the end-zone where all the most rabid fans do the flag-waving and drum-beating and raised their hands to applaud the cheering fans. Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beating

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of beating was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beating. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

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