drumbeat

noun

drum·​beat ˈdrəm-ˌbēt How to pronounce drumbeat (audio)
1
: a stroke on a drum or its sound
also : a series of such strokes
2
: vociferous advocacy of a cause
3
drumbeater noun
drumbeating noun

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
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.
For 18 months leading up to last October’s opt-out deadline for the current WNBA collective bargaining agreement, executive director of the players association Terri Jackson heard a consistent drumbeat about what the league’s players wanted to prioritize. Ben Pickman, New York Times, 21 May 2025 Beyond the physical abuse, Cassie endured a steady drumbeat of insidious threats that sent an unmistakable message: the violence could escalate at any moment. Lauren Hersh, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025 And take a quick look at the steady drumbeat in the past few years with the hype around generative AI: What has been dominating our headlines? Theodora Lau, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 There's also been a drumbeat of reports warning that privatization is coming, from various news outlets. Emily Peck, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drumbeat

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drumbeat was in 1817

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drumbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drumbeat. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

drumbeat

noun
drum·​beat ˈdrəm-ˌbēt How to pronounce drumbeat (audio)
: a stroke on a drum or its sound

More from Merriam-Webster on drumbeat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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