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

Air conditioners run for months on end, hard water wears down plumbing and pool equipment takes a beating. —Sharon Wu, USA Today, 9 June 2026

If the signs fall, the beating allegedly starts over, the affidavit states. —Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026

The negative momentum bled into Asian trade, while European tech stocks also took a beating. —Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 9 June 2026

As if this all weren’t enough, her buzzer-beating shot in Game 3 of the WNBA finals, over two Phoenix Mercury players, gave her a legacy-defining moment to be played on a loop. —Sean Gregory, Time, 9 June 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