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

Despite the drumbeat of warnings and sporadic enforcement, there is widespread defiance of official regulations, especially among young Iranian women. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

On the other hand, the preseason Lane drumbeat is getting more intense than the Megalovania track. — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Nearly two years after his shooting of Thompson, Mangione’s court appearances attract a steady drumbeat of press and supporters. — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 14 Aug. 2026

In September 2022 these were augmented with a steadily rising drumbeat of Shahed drones, first tens, then hundreds, now thousands. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

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