drumbeat

noun

drum·​beat ˈdrəm-ˌbēt 

1

: a stroke on a drum or its sound

also : a series of such strokes

2

: vociferous advocacy of a cause

3

: drumfire sense 2

drumbeater

ˈdrəm-ˌbē-tər 

noun

drumbeating

ˈdrəm-ˌbē-tiŋ 

noun

Synonyms of drumbeat

• barrage
• flurry

Examples of drumbeat in a Sentence

I could hear the drumbeat of a parade down the street.

a dizzying drumbeat of interviews in the hours following her winning of the Academy Award

Recent Examples on the Web

Reef restoration makes economic sense But this study is more than just another entrant into the steady drumbeat of doom-and-gloom predictions about the future of Florida’s corals, Storlazzi said. —Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026

For PCs, the memory line item on the bill of materials has suddenly gone from background noise to a loud, unpleasant drumbeat. —Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

There’s something motivating about having this low, electronic drumbeat pushing you along, trying to go faster and faster and faster. —Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 12 Jan. 2026

The itinerant Friend’s spectacular style drew a steady drumbeat of new followers, many of them well-to-do merchants. —Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for drumbeat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

drumbeat

noun

drum·​beat ˈdrəm-ˌbēt 

: a stroke on a drum or its sound