Synonyms of beat
-
as in to lick
-
as in to defeat
-
as in to surpass
-
as in to throb
-
as in to flutter
-
as in to frustrate
-
as in to draw
-
as in to glow
-
as in to drum
-
as in to confuse
-
as in to circumvent
-
as in to grind
-
as in to cheat
-
as in blow
-
as in pulse
-
as in rhythm
-
as in minute
-
as in tired
-
Example Sentences
-
Phrases Containing
-
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it beats me how that slipup happened
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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
Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The Republicans are not going to beat Ned Lamont with tiny baby steps.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
Paul said, 'Maybe the extra beat is for Rob.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
Last year, the Warriors made the playoffs, beat the Rockets in seven games and advanced to the second round before losing to the Timberwolves.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The Republicans are not going to beat Ned Lamont with tiny baby steps.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
Of recent, the actor—now finally finished her mammoth press run—was spotted in Saint-Tropez embracing a distinctly off-beat, anti-boho aesthetic in pooling denim jeans avec a matching bucket hat and brown leather jacket.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
Paul said, 'Maybe the extra beat is for Rob.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 22 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
-
There’s Cassie licking a melting ice cream cone as the ice cream drips down her bare chest.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Other players use wet towels or even lick their hands and wipe the bottom of their shoes to get more grip.—
Max Scheinblum,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Caroline Spadorcia went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI as Archbishop Williams (4-3) defeated Latin Academy, 6-3.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Hamadeh was elected to a reliably red West Valley district in 2024 after being defeated by Mayes in 2022.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Originally surpassing three and a half hours, the first cut of Michael reportedly ended with an accuser, whose settlement with the singer’s estate guaranteed they would never be dramatized.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
-
As of March 2026, the business surpassed $1 million in sales.—
Jennifer Liu,
CNBC,
22 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
-
Kick your legs in small up-and-down fluttering motions while keeping your lower back flat and abs tight throughout.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Video from the scene hours after the fire first erupted showed ash fluttering through the air and burned paper in the yards of homes across the street from the warehouse.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Durant, who returned to the court after missing Game 1 with a right knee contusion, had just three points and five turnovers after halftime as the Lakers frustrated him with relentless double-teams at the top of the key and complicated zones that took away his passing lanes.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Some die-hard hometown Prince fans have been frustrated that more new exhibits and events don’t take place there beyond the annual Celebration around Prince’s June 7 birthday (coming up again June 3-7).—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The three-day event draws more than 100,000 fans every year for the festival, which headlines largely country music acts while raising money for marine conservation.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The annual affair, which draws Jeep owners and enthusiasts from around the globe, has become a crucial testing ground for the brand.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What's left behind is a glowing core, known as a white dwarf, which is sending out radiation that causes the gas shells to glow.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Her clothes, patterned in vivid reds, pinks and oranges, echo the mineral-rich sands of Iran’s Qeshm and Hormuz islands, where the earth itself seems to glow.—
Adam Pourahmadi,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
