beat 1 of 3

verb

ˈbēt How to pronounce beat (audio)
Definition of beatnext
1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine

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2
as in to defeat
to achieve a victory over she always beats everyone at checkers, but she's not as good at chess

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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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4
as in to throb
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute

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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

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6
as in to frustrate
to prevent from achieving a goal you beat me to it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to draw
to shape with a hammer the medieval artisans who beat iron into exquisite swords

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8
as in to glow
to shine with a bright harsh light the tropical sun beat down on our heads without mercy

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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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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

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12
as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles years of pounding had beaten the pebbles to a fine dust

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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

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beat

2 of 3

noun

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

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beat

3 of 3

adjective

as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness can we pick this up tomorrow, because I'm beat?

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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 an adjusted basis, operating income grew 10%, beating analysts' expectations. — Justina Lee,fred Imbert, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 The Hawks beat the Hornets by 47 points (a franchise record) on Friday. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
This year, heavensouls dropped westside trapped, a showcase of plundersymphonic finesse and a tribute to Nigerian beats. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026 Since there doesn’t appear to be an on-device export function, transferring the track to my PC was as simple as opening Audacity and hitting record while playing a beat on the FM-1. — ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Identifying the problems that plague a team is part of a beat writer’s job. — Levi Weaver, New York Times, 28 May 2026 Since joining the publication, O’Connell had been on THR’s television team, where his role evolved from beat reporter to features TV editor. — Thr Staff, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
  1. lick
  2. defeat
  3. surpass
  4. throb
  5. flutter
  6. frustrate
  7. draw
  8. glow
Verb
  • After contracting the plague, he was banished to a cave, where a dog brought him bread and healed his wounds by licking them.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • But the lively crew at the urinals was already licking its lips in anticipation.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • The students led those protests before challenging and defeating Vucic at the early ballot on Sunday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The Milwaukee Brewers capped a dominating October on Wednesday night by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 of the World Series.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • The year was the hottest ever recorded at the time, after which it was surpassed by 2024.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
  • That model has changed, with one recent report indicating that bot and agent HTML traffic is surpassing human traffic.
    — Xin Guo, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of surpass
Verb
  • Astaire is the world's foremost exponent of that particular variety of heart throb!
    — David Hajdu, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Her voice, usually an attention-demanding force, is detached from the throbbing production.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of throb
Verb
  • The big night As a photographer’s shutter clicks, Folger flutters a mascara wand over her lashes while preparing for opening night at the Elysian.
    — Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • To achieve that fluttering action, the material in these baits is very soft.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of flutter
Verb
  • Some of his closest Middle East advisers, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, had grown frustrated with the Israeli leader.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Luka Doncic’s nonstop arguments with officials and trash talk may frustrate opponents, but his theatrical edge is part of what makes the Lakers star so compelling.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrate
Verb
  • Sundfør was also drawn to Julian’s ideas through a close friend who converted to Catholicism while battling cancer, and with whom Sundfør read religious texts, including Julian’s Revelations.
    — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Owners Atlanta Dream The scheduling dispute also drew attention beyond the league, with prominent figures weighing in on the unusual Thursday afternoon tipoff.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of draw
Verb
  • The embers of romance begin to glow as Nora shows Joseph how to embrace the freedom of camp life.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Don’t miss wearable glass costumes, an interactive botanical soundscape, glowing geometric light sanctuaries, and works by Dale Chihuly and other modern masters.
    — Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of glow

Phrases Containing beat

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beasts
beat
beat a retreat
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Cite this Entry

“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on beat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beat

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