take a beating

idiom

: to be beaten badly in a game or contest

The team took a beating in last night's game.

—often used figuratively to suggest a setback or loss

Our plans took a real beating from the review committee.

Many investors took quite a (bad) beating when the stock market crashed.

Examples of take a beating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The New South Wales transport authority describes motorbikes in this class as being either two-wheelers or trikes that are built to take a beating, typically featuring utilitarian add-ons like a pannier rack. —New Atlas, 27 Jan. 2026

Even appliances not directly tied to heating can take a beating. —Connie Etemadi, Freep.com, 17 Jan. 2026

Instead of letting your outdoor furniture, decor, and garden supplies take a beating this winter, move them inside to protect them from the elements. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2026

Still made to take a beating, a denim shirt is perfect for everything from cutting wood to camping trips. —Jakob Schiller, Outside, 6 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for take a beating

• accreting
• competing
• completing
• concreting
• defeating
• deleting
• depleting
• entreating
• preheating
• reheating
• repeating
• retreating