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 of beating

• pulse
• throb
• beat

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

Maury Phillips / Getty Images On March 7, 1965, the beating of future congressman John Lewis and voting rights marchers on Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge led the evening news, shocking the nation's conscience and pushing Congress to act. —CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

The male actors’ locks took quite a beating during filming. —Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Mar. 2026

Ngwato contains several intense and emotional scenes – including a physical beating of the son by others, and the mom telling the dad to leave the house. —Thinus Ferreira, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026

On March 7, 1965, the beating of future congressman John Lewis and voting rights marchers on Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge led the evening news, shocking the nation’s conscience and pushing Congress to act. —ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026

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