BEATS Synonyms: 628 Similar and Opposite Words

beats 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of beat

as in licks

to strike repeatedly they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine

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Relevance

as in defeats

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

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as in surpasses

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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loses (to)

as in throbs

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

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as in flutters

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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as in frustrates

to prevent from achieving a goal you beat me to it

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as in draws

to shape with a hammer the medieval artisans who beat iron into exquisite swords

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as in glows

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

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as in drums

to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically beat the drum in a marching rhythm

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as in confuses

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty it beats me how that slipup happened

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as in circumvents

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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as in grinds

to reduce to fine particles years of pounding had beaten the pebbles to a fine dust

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as in plucks

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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beats

2 of 2

noun

plural of beat

as in blows

a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument delivered one hard beat on the drums

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as in pulses

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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as in rhythms

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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as in heartbeats

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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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 beats

Verb

This could be the first year that solar beats gas in California’s power mix. — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 When measured against the modern perimeter icons who preceded him, James beats Jordan and Bryant on points scored, Magic Johnson on assists dished and Larry Bird on titles won. — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2026 In a blind rage after watching his brother die, Duke catches up to one of their assailants and beats him to death — with a crowd watching. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 July 2026 For reducing loneliness and political polarization, nothing quite beats community gardens. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2026 Nothing beats the thrill of chasing the blinking bugs in grandma’s backyard in the dark, zooming around with Mason jars in hand. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 July 2026 But Herradura‘s version beats all these in terms of strength. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 27 July 2026 The rating is 12 points higher than Anthropic’s Mythos and also beats Google Gemini and OpenAI GPT. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026 Nothing beats fresh blossoms on an entryway credenza, kitchen counter, or coffee table—that is, except for fresh blossoms that actually last. — Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2026

Noun

Versant Media — Shares jumped 5% after the media company raised its full-year outlook and reported beats on both the top and bottom lines. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026 Its screenplay, which Dolan hatched in collaboration with three others, tries to soft-pedal predictable beats that nonetheless end up the only ones getting beaten. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026 Your pulse rate needs to be between 50 and 100 beats per minute. — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Mapping out what the story beats are, what the motivations are, and what the action is doing to Peter, that was a big part of what kept me up at night. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026 BookTok’s preferences may skew toward familiar beats and blunt-force sensation, but in Harpman the hive mind has alighted on something more capacious and slippery. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 There’s a smooth clarity to most of these songs, which grants different textures and dimensions to even Lyseight’s most restrained beats. — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026 Once airborne, dragonflies reach their peak speed in one or two wing beats. — Rachel Sargent Mirus, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 Walking hard on two days beats walking not at all by a wide margin, and the mortality gap between weekend warriors and near-daily walkers is smaller than many people assume. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beats

Verb

Food stands also debuted that year, with ribs sizzling along with the blues licks.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 June 2026
At one point in a dinner scene, Shields' Erika licks Joey's fingers.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026

Definition of licks

Verb

This level of opposition even surpasses the 53% who oppose building nuclear power plants in their local areas.

— , CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
As Nancy Guthrie's status as a missing person surpasses the six-month mark, many are wondering what the future of the investigation will look like.

— Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of surpasses

Verb

That distinction — chosen versus imposed — is what separates a line that builds anticipation from one that simply frustrates.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 July 2026
But what most frustrates her is that Calder’s portrayal of Millennial ennui and directionlessness takes those qualities at face value and, in doing so, replicates them.

— Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Definition of frustrates

Verb

The event draws thousands of spectators to cheer on colorful floats, community groups and local organizations.

— Evan Moore August 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
During post-production, any side-wall content that draws unnecessary attention, such as bright light sources, overly complex action, or out-of-focus characters are adjusted or completely removed.

— Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of draws

Verb

Think golden butter blondes, radiant warm ambers, and deep brunettes with seamless dimension that glows.

— Amanda Le, InStyle, 29 July 2026
This painstakingly restored 4K version looks and sounds gorgeous; cinematographer Dante Spinotti’s work glows with saturated vibrancy, and Michel Rubini and the Reds’ score vibrates on a spooky synth frequency.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026