1
as in licks
to strike repeatedly
they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in defeats
to achieve a victory over
she always beats everyone at checkers, but she's not as good at chess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in throbs
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner
the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in frustrates
to prevent from achieving a goal
you beat me to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
as in glows
to shine with a bright harsh light
the tropical sun beat down on our heads without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in drums
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
beat the drum in a marching rhythm
Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in confuses
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it beats me how that slipup happened
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in circumvents
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
he spends all of his time trying to beat the system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in grinds
to reduce to fine particles
years of pounding had beaten the pebbles to a fine dust
Synonyms & Similar Words
13
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered one hard beat on the drums
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in heartbeats
a very small space of time
within a beat he was on the phone complaining about an error in his bill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of beats
Josh Miller, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
Snap beats revenue expectations and lifts guidance.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
New Jonas Brothers material beats the nostalgia trap The Jonas Brothers are enjoying a rare second act.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Nov. 2025
Nothing beats a trip to Costco!
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
Scream With Me expands on this argument with its analysis of The Exorcist, a movie that Johnson interprets as a parable about physical abuse; its male demon torments and beats a single working mother and her child.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
While cropped styles are great, nothing beats pants with multiple inseam options to ensure a tailored fit.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
At first, the events are grim, but nothing out of the ordinary; a baby dies in an alleyway, and a former soldier beats his wife.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Inside its 38 mm polished stainless steel case beats Omega’s self-winding Co-Axial Calibre 3330 movement, which achieves 52 hours of power reserve.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
This week, Alphonse breaks down his favorite beats currently in his rotation.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
His music mixes reggaetón beats with the sounds of Puerto Rican history and everyday life, where devotion and defiance often live side by side.
—Ken Chitwood, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
Rosalia, by now, has proven herself to be pop’s most provocative chaos agent, having released radical projects like El Mal Querer, which played with flamenco traditions and pop genres, and Motomami, an exploration of femininity through sharp-eyed production and reggaeton beats.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Still, as someone who enjoyed the recent titles' characterizations and emotional beats, I was impressed by the care and time Age of Imprisonment took in building out its story, at least during the first few hours.
—PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2025
Somehow, this tiny human beats me at the obstacle course every single time in the movie.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025
Upon awakening to a loud fire alarm, EKG results showed an average heart rate of 180 beats per minute, as compared with an average of less than 70 while sleeping.
—Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
Biopics focused on musicians have become a genre onto themselves, complete with their own agreed upon conventions, stylistic choices and narrative beats.
—Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
When the cooler months roll around, nothing beats the hearty flavors of this classic combination.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
Snap beats revenue expectations and lifts guidance.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
New Jonas Brothers material beats the nostalgia trap The Jonas Brothers are enjoying a rare second act.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Nov. 2025
Nothing beats a trip to Costco!
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
Scream With Me expands on this argument with its analysis of The Exorcist, a movie that Johnson interprets as a parable about physical abuse; its male demon torments and beats a single working mother and her child.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
While cropped styles are great, nothing beats pants with multiple inseam options to ensure a tailored fit.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
At first, the events are grim, but nothing out of the ordinary; a baby dies in an alleyway, and a former soldier beats his wife.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Inside its 38 mm polished stainless steel case beats Omega’s self-winding Co-Axial Calibre 3330 movement, which achieves 52 hours of power reserve.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
There are leading dramatic beats as suspects are introduced and new information comes to light.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
This week, Alphonse breaks down his favorite beats currently in his rotation.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
His music mixes reggaetón beats with the sounds of Puerto Rican history and everyday life, where devotion and defiance often live side by side.
—Ken Chitwood, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
Rosalia, by now, has proven herself to be pop’s most provocative chaos agent, having released radical projects like El Mal Querer, which played with flamenco traditions and pop genres, and Motomami, an exploration of femininity through sharp-eyed production and reggaeton beats.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Still, as someone who enjoyed the recent titles' characterizations and emotional beats, I was impressed by the care and time Age of Imprisonment took in building out its story, at least during the first few hours.
—PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2025
Somehow, this tiny human beats me at the obstacle course every single time in the movie.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025
Upon awakening to a loud fire alarm, EKG results showed an average heart rate of 180 beats per minute, as compared with an average of less than 70 while sleeping.
—Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
Biopics focused on musicians have become a genre onto themselves, complete with their own agreed upon conventions, stylistic choices and narrative beats.
—Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beats
Verb
-
The first is Christopher Walken as Gabriel, a mean-spirited angel who sniffs and licks crime scenes and inspects children’s teeth for reasons that sort of make sense within the movie.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Posted to the account @maisythemarshmallow on September 19, the video shows the dog, named Maisy, lying calmly as the cat snuggles up and licks her face.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, this approach defeats the primary purpose of insurance, which is to protect against catastrophic costs in the event of an unexpected medical crisis.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Haynes defeats Hall in District 2 Shamaiye Haynes maintained a sizable lead over Juanrique Hall in District 2, which covers uptown and west Charlotte.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Extra añejo refers to tequila that has been aged for more than three years, and this new expression from the Last Drop far surpasses that.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Add to that list Inhotim, a sprawling and relatively obscure contemporary art collection in the jungle of the state of Minas Gerais that surpasses any notion of what a museum can be.—
William O'Connor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Portugal’s coastline throbs with beach goers and sports enthusiasts.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
It’s been said that the filibuster empowers the minority and frustrates the majority.—
The Detroit News Editorial Board,
Twin Cities,
6 Nov. 2025
-
This inconsistency frustrates drivers and reduces their confidence in public charging networks, further slowing EV adoption.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Located in the heart of the plaza, the Folsom Ice Rink draws crowds for 90-minute skating sessions and seasonal events under string lights.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Part therapy session, part history project, the exercise draws from Indigenous traditions to cultivate memories and bring out reflections about the Ojibwe language, practices and community.—
Holly J. McDede,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The business mogul glows in a golden gown and matching accessories.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Dusted with snow and adorned with red berries and pine cones, each pre-lit tree glows with 130 warm white lights.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of another room with a priest and young woman growling on the bed, the exorcisms in The Wailing are accompanied by chanting crowds, firepits, and drums beating as a great spectacle is made of the ritual.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The video cuts to Camila, who reads the report outloud as Matthew drums on the bongo and offers his commentary on the report.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beats. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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