beat 1 of 3

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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

4

beat

3 of 3

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
On Wednesday, Fritz beat Canada's Diallo 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-3 to reach Wimbledon's third round, in three hours and six minutes. James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025 In the semis, Parenteau turned back the clock and played a solid game to beat Buckner and return to the final for the first time in nearly a year. Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Noun
Today's report saw a trifecta of positives that should send the labor bears back into hibernation: a drop in the unemployment rate, a solid beat on headline job creation vs. consensus and positive revisions to the prior two months. Fred Imbert, CNBC, 3 July 2025 In anticipation of the Beatles Extended Universe arriving in theaters as a four-part biopic series, Ringo Starr is keeping a steady beat with its progress. Devon Ivie, Vulture, 2 July 2025
Adjective
Rivera climbed into Feliz’s car; threatened, beat, and tased him, and then shot him in the chest point blank. Lourdes Rosado, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025 While anyone can enjoy listening to albums or 45s on the go, KORG also includes a wide range of features aimed at DJs, including playback speed adjustment, a beat looper (which gives the ability to layer scratches over a beat loop), filters, a fader and delay effects. Brad Moon, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Verb
  • In the video, the mother dog stays close to her pup, licking him and standing over him protectively.
    Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • While her Nickelodeon and Disney peers have seemingly all had at least one major scandal to their names (ranging from incessant twerking and licking unpurchased donuts to near-fatal overdoses), Palmer’s celebrity was, in part, defined by her lack of verifiable scandals.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The Italian became the first man or woman from her country to defeat a top-3 seed at Wimbledon since the Open Era began in 1968.
    Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Before the Thunder captured the coveted Larry O'Brien Trophy by defeating the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, only two players in league history had previously won league MVP and Finals MVP trophies in the same season.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • The market could surpass those previous records on Friday or early next week, analysts told CBS MoneyWatch.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 26 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, a 2024 forecast by Research and Markets estimates the digital education sector will surpass $80 billion by 2030, driven by microlearning and online skill monetization.
    Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Financial markets throbbed with a panoply of new financial institutions — hedge funds — trading new financial instruments — derivative securities — the values of which were tied to still other financial instruments like home mortgages.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 11 May 2025
  • Batteries of loudspeakers throbbed with a song whose refrain has become a catchphrase for those who want Mr. Yoon ousted.
    Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The card features drawings of flying birds, floating feathers, shooting stars, fluttering butterflies and rowing gondoliers.
    Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 24 June 2025
  • Outside of quintessential Southern porch staples, nature adds an idyllic experience to the outdoors, especially the presence of hummingbirds with their gracefully fluttering wings and gentle humming sound.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Williams often got frustrated with him and told him to be quiet.
    Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025
  • Body camera footage released after the demonstration showed police disagreed about the tactics and people were immediately frustrated with the response.
    David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • The annual festival draws more than 200,000 fans nearly each year to enjoy performances across more than 100 stages.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
  • Bids for this round of W expansion were due at the end of January, and the process drew interest from groups both inside the NBA and beyond.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The first Tron had played out as a series of face-offs featuring glowing figures against a black background, replicating the blank environment of an arcade screen.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025
  • Miguel and Angel were grinning maniacs standing in the middle of the set with their arms around each other’s shoulders, like ballplayers after a winning game surrounded by a circle of glowing fans.
    Helen Schulman, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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