heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

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

Synonyms

• minute
• second
• moment

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

The series spotlights the intersection of culture and glam in four cities—New York, Toronto, New Orleans, and Los Angeles—each chosen for its distinct creative heartbeat. —Essence, 23 Oct. 2025

The 28-year-old Raleigh has been the heartbeat of this Seattle team, hitting an MLB-leading 60 home runs in the regular season, only the seventh player in history to reach that mark. —George Ramsay, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025

Their mixes flow so seamlessly that every transition feels like a part of the song itself, like a heartbeat guiding the dancers across the floor. —Alexa Stone updated October 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025

If your smartwatch tracking every heartbeat and sleep cycle hasn’t already given you health anxiety, Kohler wants to mess you up in a new way. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing heartbeat

• heartbeat law
• in a heartbeat

Rhymes for heartbeat

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

Kids Definition

heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

: a single contracting and expanding of the heart

Medical Definition

heartbeat

noun

heart·​beat ˈhärt-ˌbēt 

: one complete pulsation of the heart