beat off

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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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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat off
Verb
  • Popping into a camp full of allies newly wary of the 428-year-old vampire in their midst, Regis begins by clearing up the misconception that he can be repelled by garlic, then drops a line about Jaskier’s blood smelling good.
    Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Scientists have also proposed that stabilimenta shield spiders from harsh ultraviolet rays, convey water for the arachnids to drink, or can either visually attract or repel prey.
    Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Epstein has resisted the obvious move to monetize it.
    Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The family—an ambivalent institution bar none—shapes us, and yet our individuality resists that shaping.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Harper and Martinez said that their organizations never turn away pantry donations.
    Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
  • But when Sarah goes to the hospital to drop off a card for Dinah, she’s turned away by weirdly hostile staffers.
    Judy Berman, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In November, millions of Americans will turn back their clocks, marking the end of daylight saving time in 2025.
    Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Most of the group turned back, but the teen decided to try it out, reportedly relying on her experience, according to On The Verge.
    Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While there are dismemberments and other bits of gruesome violence to be found in the film, Badlands is largely aimed at endearing its audience rather than repulsing them.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Of course, one major qualifier for this is the fact there are plenty of reasons for even moderate Democrats to be repulsed at the idea of electing Cuomo.
    The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Some analysts have questioned whether implementing more AI will be enough to stave off the threat posed by AI to Salesforce’s core product lineup.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The win gives Milei a fresh opportunity to try to enact economic reforms and stave off concerns of a financial crisis, analysts said, boosting investor confidence.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Beat off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat%20off. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

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