heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt How to pronounce heartbeat (audio)
Synonyms of heartbeatnext
1
: one complete pulsation of the heart
2
: the vital center or driving impulse
3
: a brief space of time : flash
used chiefly in the phrase in a heartbeat

Examples of heartbeat in a Sentence

The patient had a rapid heartbeat. I'd accept a job offer from that company in a heartbeat.
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.
And in this new quiet, his heartbeat seemed broadcast in stereo. Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026 Counsell believes Rea’s low, steady heartbeat is a strength of the veteran’s. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026 Ghost Murmur was described as a futuristic CIA tool that could detect a heartbeat from vast distances. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026 So detectives go to the doctor’s office with a warrant and get the heartbeat data to use it against the guy in a court of law. ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heartbeat

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartbeat was in 1821

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heartbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartbeat. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

heartbeat

noun
heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt How to pronounce heartbeat (audio)
: a single contracting and expanding of the heart

Medical Definition

heartbeat

noun
heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt How to pronounce heartbeat (audio)
: one complete pulsation of the heart

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