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

2 of 3

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
Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed one run in six-plus innings, Shohei Ohtani extended his career-best on-base streak to 42 games and the Los Angeles Dodgers pushed their winning streak to five, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Tuesday night. CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026 Mark Hill, a law enforcement and security specialist, beat incumbent Bob Bennett for a seat representing Ward 2, according to unofficial results reported by the Platte County Board of Elections Tuesday night. Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
The shots are competently composed, the lighting bright, the beats familiar and unchallenging in any way. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026 Shares got a big boost after Dell reported a fourth-quarter beat on both the top and bottom lines in late February. Michelle Fox, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Past that, the Xavier school looks pretty beat to hell in the scenes before that. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 6 Jan. 2026 Shopping around Macy’s beat Wall Street’s top- and bottom-line expectations for the third quarter this morning, posting its strongest growth in more than three years. Alex Harring, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Verb
  • Both have walked away from battles licking their wounds.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Five caribou stood licking at the stain.
    Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In his March Madness brackets, Obama has the Arizona Wildcats men defeating the Duke Blue Devils (who have already been upset) and UConn's women's team winning it all.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The Wolverines defeated the Mustangs in state semis last year and in 2021 and 2025 and won state title games against Grapevine in 2018 and 2022.
    Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • He's commuted for nearly four years, but recently the spikes of gas have increased, surpassing his monthly budget.
    Kara St. Cyr, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The project was such a big hit that the Russos and Hargrave had to bring its main character back from the dead (Hemsworth’s Rake seemed to have died at the end of the first film) for the second installment, which surpassed the streaming numbers of the first pic.
    Justin Kroll, Deadline, 8 Apr. 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
  • As Ember brushed past to turn on the lamp, one of the sheets came unstuck and fluttered out into the hallway, caught in her slight draft.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Patrick Kane took a shot from the point that fluttered through traffic and bounced off Compher, who was parked at the goalpost.
    CBS News, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Despite that, Bunnell and his neighbor, Tom Williams, who received the same notice, are frustrated by the inconvenience.
    Luzdelia Caballero, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Homeowners across Central Florida have been frustrated to find their piles of dead leaves, branches and plants — victims of February’s hard freeze — still sitting on their curbs because waste haulers haven’t picked it up on time.
    Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The stars of that team, Deron Williams and Dee Brown, sat together at Saturday’s game, drawing huge cheers when they were shown on the video board.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Surrounded by 28 acres of grapevines and rolling farmland, this beautiful resort draws its look from the working countryside with standalone-style only accommodations, luxury amenities, and a polished farm-house design.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The 94-year-old I Dream of Jeannie star shared a picture with husband Jon Eicholtz for Easter, and fans were amazed at how glowing the actress looked.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Look to the upper left of Venus to find Jupiter, the second brightest object in the night sky, glowing in the constellation Gemini, with Sirius — the brightest star in the night sky — shining off to the left, close to the southwestern horizon.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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