beat 1 of 5

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beat

2 of 5

noun

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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

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beat

3 of 5

adjective (1)

beaten

5 of 5

verb (2)

variants or beat
past participle of beat
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as in pulsed
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
Kansas has beat up on two bad teams in Fresno State and Wagner. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 But the key for the stock to get back to its historical market-beating ways is for revenue growth to reaccelerate back to at least 10% year over year and operating margins — on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis — to trend higher. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
For investors used to blockbuster beats and aggressive outlooks from the AI bellwether that helped drive this year’s rally, the update fell short. Benzinga, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2025 The company pointed to the constant building of AI data centers by tech companies and the demand for its newest Blackwell chip as contributing to its earnings beat. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Those submissions—we’ve received thousands since this list first launched—are then analyzed and supplemented by reporting from beat journalists at Forbes and Know Your Value. Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 In a miracle from the beat gods, workers on site were able to clear out the piles of debris and construct a new stage to host the fest’s headliners overnight, giving Nervo, Axwell, Martin Garrix, Alok and others a place to perform on night one. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 July 2025
Adjective
Score the puff pastry lightly in a diagonal pattern with a sharp knife or box cutter, then brush it with the beaten egg. The Editors, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024 Dredge the egg whites: Take each egg white half and dredge it in flour, gently shaking off the excess before dipping it in the beaten egg. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 7 Dec. 2023
Verb
My picks in this series have been profitable 30 times out of 45, and have beaten the index 23 times. John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 The Bengals need to beat both of those teams to even be considered a threat, and that remains to be seen right now. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Noun
  • Then Butker missed the extra point — a deflating moment and a blow to what had been growing momentum.
    Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The hammer blow was last week's dismissal by the Constitutional Court of Thaksin's daughter and protege Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the sixth prime minister from or backed by the Shinawatra family to be removed by the military or judiciary.
    Panarat Thepgumpanat, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Equipped with a two-pulse solid rocket motor and larger, collapsible fins, the PAC-3 MSE offers roughly 50 percent more range and maneuverability than earlier models.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The Kenmore machine really did draw out good flavor notes in the coffee and had water come out in a few pulses.
    Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Listening to the Velvet Underground records, a lot of them are Lou, certainly, but Sterling’s concepts on guitar and his rhythms and melodies move the songs away from the middle ground Lou is establishing as a songwriter.
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
  • That clarity is brought to life through rhythm.
    Calvin Goulding, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • When enrolled at the school, Sid had about four or five classes per day, each about 45 minutes long.
    Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2025
  • The two-hour-plus extravaganza included a loud and brisk pop-punk opening set from Boston band Boys Like Girls, while DJ and Jonas pal Marshmello was the intermission act with 20 minutes of lasers, confetti and hit tunes.
    Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • And the thump, thump, thumping of her brother’s hands pounding a heavy bag.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Collins brings some thump to the four spot at no cost after next season.
    David Aldridge, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Okada was putting a beating on Strickland following the victory when Prince Nana came out to interrupt him.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025
  • From dirty pets to messy kids to kitchen mishaps, hardwood floors can take a daily beating.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Traditional marketing mix modeling has typically been slow to field and refresh—often taking weeks to months to build and then updating on quarterly or biannual cadences, which means insights can arrive long after campaigns have ended.
    Kiri Masters, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • SpaceX has spent more than six years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from both Florida and California.
    Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • By eliminating the friction of a stylus, the Mingograph (which the company marketed as the Mingograf) was able to record more detailed changes of the heartbeat.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Event organizers described the marketplace as the heartbeat of the festival, highlighting its role in fostering networking and deal-making.
    True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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