beat 1 of 3

Definition of beatnext
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as in to throb
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beat

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noun

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as in pulse
a rhythmic expanding and contracting a single beat of the heart is said to be all that separates the vice president from the presidency

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in rhythm
the recurrent pattern formed by a series of sounds having a regular rise and fall in intensity moved to the beat of the music

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beat

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adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of beat
Verb
Lopez’s three-run home run helped the Trojans beat Texas A&M 7-1 to reach the NCAA super regionals for the first time in 21 years. Jose De Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026 Credo also shared current-quarter revenue guidance that beat the consensus forecast. Sarah Min, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Noun
Javier Bardem is terrific as a former enfant terrible filmmaker who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter by putting her in his new movie in The Beloved, which eschews the easy sentimental beats but also ends up short on many satisfying ones. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 27 May 2026 Landing Lawrence for the 10th pick in the draft beat trusting the Bengals to find an impact player in an underwhelming draft class. Mike Sando, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Adjective
Bass began his career as a beat reporter covering feature stories through the mid-80s. Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026 Those who were laid off include Caroline O’Donovan, the Post’s beat reporter covering Amazon. Todd Spangler, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Verb
  • Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.
    Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
  • Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.
    Laura Ungar, Fortune, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • The food, beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and agribusiness lobbies do not need to defeat MAHA in public debate.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • But environmentalists and other stakeholders said giving too many concessions to fossil fuel interests would defeat the program’s purpose, which is to drive down emissions along a pathway consistent with what scientists say could preserve a recognizable climate.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Verb
  • Since 1990, the number of people living outside their country of birth has nearly doubled, surpassing 300 million worldwide in 2024.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2026
  • Industry sources expect month-over-month growth throughout the first year, with sales projected to surpass eight figures.
    Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The collection consists of the sneaker brand’s UNO sneakers (which, PSA, are a fab Nike Air Max alternative), Arch Fit, and Slip-Ins—all of which include some of the most impressive cushioning and support, so your feet won’t throb after standing for hours in a field.
    Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 19 Mar. 2026
  • The smoke kept rising and the clouds continued to throb with sickly yellow-and-black whorls until just after sunset, when the boiling mass of vapor suddenly turned pink and scarlet, like a poisonous flower opening its petals.
    New York Times, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Anderson said the warmth helps calm them down stops their eyes from fluttering.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026
  • Advertisement Crossing an overpass into my western suburb of Baghdad, militia flags stamped with Ali Khamenei’s face fluttered in the wind.
    Nabil Salih, Time, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • Part of what fascinates and frustrates as regards Ginsberg is that for all of those thick anthologies, propriety forces me to concede that many of the poems simply aren’t that good.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • Some voters frustrated by gubernatorial race Tuesday was shaping up to be a busy day at the polls inside the brown brick Coloma Community Center.
    Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The atmosphere surrounding the state championships was notably calmer than a year ago, when demonstrations over Hernandez’s participation drew national attention.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
  • Jimmy Gunn had an infield single to load the bases before Ian Brooke drew a four-pitch walk to push across the go-ahead run.
    John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • At sunset, the city starts glowing around you while traffic crawls silently below.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 28 May 2026
  • The bright light of Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion's Belt, illuminates the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) to the left of the Horsehead, while Alnilam — the middle star in the hunter's belt — glows blue-white in the upper left.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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