Synonyms of beat
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as in to lick 
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as in to defeat
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as in to surpass
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as in to throb
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as in to flutter
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as in to frustrate
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as in to draw
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as in to glow
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as in to drum
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as in to confuse
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as in to circumvent
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as in to grind
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as in to cheat
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as in blow
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as in pulse
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as in rhythm
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as in minute
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as in tired
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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Entries Near
1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to defeat
to achieve a victory over
she always beats everyone at checkers, but she's not as good at chess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to surpass
to be greater, better, or stronger than
this new animated feature sure beats everything else that's ever been done in animation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to flutter
to move or cause to move with a striking motion
the bird's wings beat strongly as it soared in the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to frustrate
to prevent from achieving a goal
you beat me to it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
9
as in to drum
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
beat the drum in a marching rhythm
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10
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it beats me how that slipup happened
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in to circumvent
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
he spends all of his time trying to beat the system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
13
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the screenwriter has filed a lawsuit, accusing the production company of beating him out of his share of the film's net profits
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered one hard beat on the drums
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2
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
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3
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
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4
as in minute
a very small space of time
within a beat he was on the phone complaining about an error in his bill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
can we pick this up tomorrow, because I'm beat?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of beat
Sydney Pereira, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
On Saturday at the O’Connell Center, Auburn took the fight to Florida (14-6, 5-2 SEC), beating the nation’s top rebounding team 19-13 on the boards to build a 43-28 halftime lead before holding on for a 76-67 win.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
The beat was driven by a 23% increase in power and energy sales.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
Tory Burch leaned into a quirky, off-beat palette that felt fresh and full of personality.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beat
Verb
But prosecutor Von Zamft said Barnett provided no evidence that he was beaten up.
—Sydney Pereira, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
On Saturday at the O’Connell Center, Auburn took the fight to Florida (14-6, 5-2 SEC), beating the nation’s top rebounding team 19-13 on the boards to build a 43-28 halftime lead before holding on for a 76-67 win.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Credit names, including those of some Markiplier’s collaborators, drew louder reactions than many of the movie’s horror beats.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
The beat was driven by a 23% increase in power and energy sales.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The multi-beat tapping — like someone testing a mic on loop — sits atop a slow sonic swell and a visual that feels like falling through a tunnel.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
Tory Burch leaned into a quirky, off-beat palette that felt fresh and full of personality.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Verb
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Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
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England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch also spoke before his squad defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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These therapies are not universally successful, of course, but can often save lives and defeat cancers where other methods are unsuccessful.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Time and time again our lives surpass themselves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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In 18- to 34-year-olds, the number of churchgoers has still not surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with 6% in 2024, compared to 8% in 2018.—
Will Barker,
TheWeek,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
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That’s why my leg is throbbing.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Unfortunately, in some cars with only the rear windows open, the car will flutter and vibrate.—
John Paul,
The Providence Journal,
30 Jan. 2026
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The sky does not flutter at my heartfelt admiration.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Paczocha and his wife were frustrated by growing unrest stemming from Black Lives Matter protests and six months of COVID-19 restrictions the family believed were overly strict.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Jan. 2026
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Naturally, many were frustrated with the long wait times, and particularly outraged at just how pricey the tickets were selling for this time around (upwards of $1,000 a ticket).—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To finish the look, choose a pink that's a few shades lighter than the aura to draw a heart in the center of each nail.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
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The warmth and natural beauty of the Sunshine State drew Northerners seeking seasonal escapes and setting the table for Central Florida’s tourism industry to bloom.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Coughlan glowed in Penelope's wedding dress and shared a look with her husband-to-be, Colin.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
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Using these newer observations, the team was finally able connect the glowing ring of material around M87* to the base of the jet erupting from this supermassive black hole, giving a probable origin point for this jet.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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