as in to repel
to drive back
the defense managed to beat off those offensive players who were taking shots at the goalie
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Recent Examples of beat off
On this play, Tegra Tshabola got beat off the ball, forcing Donaldson to take a different hole before running into a defender who center Carson Hinzman was on until the hole shifted.
—
Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Chip Somodevilla/Pool Photo via AP What To Know Obama beat off stiff competition from the likes of David Attenborough and Tom Hanks to win the Outstanding Narrator prize for his narration of the five-part Netflix series Our Oceans, which examines marine life across the world's oceans.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
In 2024, it was given to Netflix France series Class Act, which beat off competition from huge hits like The Bear, Beef and Succession.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Breathing problems which sent my heart beat off the charts.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Chip Somodevilla/Pool Photo via AP What To Know Obama beat off stiff competition from the likes of David Attenborough and Tom Hanks to win the Outstanding Narrator prize for his narration of the five-part Netflix series Our Oceans, which examines marine life across the world's oceans.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
In 2024, it was given to Netflix France series Class Act, which beat off competition from huge hits like The Bear, Beef and Succession.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Breathing problems which sent my heart beat off the charts.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat off
Verb
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Some have coatings that are meant to repel water or fingerprints.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
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Madrid’s back line were forced to repel multiple crosses, while Courtois saved from Baena (twice) and Sorloth.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Patriot resists easy characterization chiefly because of Conrad’s writing, which gives his characters strange rhythms and, sometimes, even stranger verbiage.—
Claire McNear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
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Will you be allowed to bring in your own people, or will the Monforts — owner Dick Monfort and his son Walker, the executive vice president — resist your efforts?—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Disappointed sellers turned away, hearts and minds still in hand.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2026
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The videos show that her SUV was moving slowly and her wheels were turning away from the ICE agents, critics said.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There’s turning back up until the deed is done.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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When Genevieve’s physics experiment at the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair goes explosively wrong, Ash jumps in to save the day, turning back time by a few minutes to prevent disaster.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For reasons that are quite possibly too unbearable to contemplate, a large group of American voters was not repulsed by such slander—they were actually aroused by it—and our politics have not been the same.—
Jeffrey Goldberg,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
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Nicole is the kind of wife who moves out of her father’s home into her husband’s home, and who has been taught to be repulsed by the mushroom spores covering her body, just like all the women in their community.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As California schools face worsening economic conditions, many districts are bolstering their reserves to stave off deficits.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Studies have indicated that anywhere between 15% to 60% of the weight people lose is lean muscle mass, meaning that those who are using the drugs are advised to engage in a weekly exercise routine that includes strength training to stave off too much muscle loss.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beat off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat%20off. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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