beat off

Definition of beat offnext
as in to repel
to drive back the defense managed to beat off those offensive players who were taking shots at the goalie

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 off Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose gets a lot of notice for its athletics programs, but the Monarchs are proving to be the team to beat off the sports fields, too. Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026 He regularly gets beat off the bounce by quicker players. Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026 The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes. CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026 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
  • Through smart positioning and tactical moves (plus powers) used at the right times, the goal is to either annihilate or repel the enemy forces.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 2 June 2026
  • Several residents hailing from Kansas City to Buckner attended a Monday public hearing of the Jackson County Legislature to share their perspectives on whether the county should welcome or repel future data center and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) sites.
    Ilana Arougheti June 1, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • The printing director who resisted the effort said she was reassigned last month.
    Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Post, 28 May 2026
  • Moise is charged with driving under the influence (DUI), grand theft, fleeing and eluding, and resisting an officer.
    Peter D'Oench, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Texas is split down the middle on which issue should take priority — stopping voter fraud or preventing eligible citizens from being turned away at the ballot box — as a poll shows the split is not a sign of moderation but of deep partisan polarization.
    Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 2 June 2026
  • Sánchez was in right field during a mound visit, appeared to be talking to fans beyond the wall, turned away and then got struck in the right wrist area by what appeared to be a baseball.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • For two nights, Mister A’s is turning back the clock to the mid-1960s for a special prix-fixe meal.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2026
  • Pagano teased re-entering the ring, only to turn back around and walk off.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • Firstman’s debut directorial effort, Club Kid, shrewdly acknowledges those garish personality tics, which have both endeared and repulsed audiences.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
  • Anyone who has worked in or observed the media industry for the last couple of decades will recognize and be repulsed by nepo-baby Jay, who is undeniably villainous.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The vitamin A derivative boasts myriad benefits for mature skin, plus anyone seeking to preemptively stave off signs of visible aging.
    Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 29 May 2026
  • The measure, put on the ballot by the Board of Supervisors, asks voters to support a half-cent sales tax increase to help stave off the effects of federal cuts affecting county healthcare facilities, including the risk of some clinics and even hospitals closing.
    Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 29 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Beat off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat%20off. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster