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

With sturdy aluminum poles sourced from DAC, manufacturers of the tent poles in many of my favorite hiking tents on the market, and a UV-resistant, high-denier ripstop seat, this stool can take a beating (or many, many seatings). —Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2025

Accessing the contents of your pack is made easy through a simple roll top and buckle, and the liner’s durable ripstop nylon is built to take a beating. —Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2025

In Texas, where seven-inch hailstorms fell in 2024, roofs take a beating that can cut their lifespan in half. —Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025

Even though mountain bikes can take a beating on the trails, they are built for the long haul. —Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for take a beating

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