beats 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of beat
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as in throbs
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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beats

2 of 2

noun

plural of beat
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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

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

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
Chinese exports growth beats expectations. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 The nature of his creation may be horrific, but his heart beats the same as ours. Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 Texas beats Oklahoma 23-6 in the 121st edition of the Red River Rivalry. Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2025 But certainly a methodical and coordinated approach beats what’s going on now. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025 Vegas beats itself with Geno Smith interceptions. Greg Cote october 9, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2025 Peg beats Mel at most of the games because of her extensive experience in law enforcement. Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025 The sudser is up 67% in multi-platform viewership from last year’s time period and beats ABC’s General Hospital by 7% among women 25-54 on broadcast, according to Nielsen. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025 On that front, scale beats rhetoric and right now, China has both. Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
And [Sosa] actually sent the beats. Heran Mamo, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025 Johnson & Johnson reported quarterly earnings and revenue beats, raised its full-year sales outlook, and announced plans to spin off its orthopedics business. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 The 16-track project finds Soulja experimenting with fresh sounds — from that West Coast bass to more energetic beats — all while staying true to the essence that built his legacy. Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 13 Oct. 2025 This is a series that has always operated as absurd speculation, where broad metaphors about life and science get posited amid techno beats and car chases. David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025 His pre-teen son in tow, Luis joins up with a crusty group of dancers who are heading to a secret party in the heart of the desert, where the beats will be loud enough to drown out the sounds of the apocalyptic war that’s brewing around them. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2025 And within the bar scene along State and Regent streets in Madison and inside the Ped Mall in Iowa City, the heart of college football beats with a rhythm unmatched anywhere else throughout the beer highway. Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 The series is playful and heavily referential one moment — similarities to Full Metal Jacket are acknowledged and acknowledged again — and then tries to sell serious and highly emotional beats the next, occasionally with success and occasionally with jarring distraction. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025 Maggie also smiles tolerantly when Hank keeps his hand on her knee for a few beats too many, or leans in close during chats. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beats
Verb
  • 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
  • When asked the question, the owl takes the lollipop and licks it three times before chomping down on its hard shell exterior and handing the stick back to the child.
    Moná Thomas, People.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • True What color does the Honmoon turn when HUNTR/X defeats the Saja Boys?
    Kara Nesvig, Parents, 17 Oct. 2025
  • See video … WATCH CHARLIE HURT – Shutting the government down defeats the whole purpose of the Democratic Party.
    , FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The food pantry’s national delivery service received 410 new applications for support in just 10 days, an increase Bassett says surpasses their usual total from an entire quarter.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 12 Oct. 2025
  • The next 24% tax bracket doesn’t hit until income surpasses $105,700 in 2026.
    Medora Lee, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Portugal’s coastline throbs with beach goers and sports enthusiasts.
    Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • That doesn’t always come in the form of on-court minutes, which frustrates segments of the fan base.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Oct. 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
  • The 10-track album draws heavily upon the music Benton released early in his career.
    Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The darker tone also draws the eye, subtly highlighting architectural details while remaining cohesive with the overall palette.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the endless daylight of the Arctic summer, the tapetum lucidum, a mirror-like layer behind the retina, glows golden, reflecting light efficiently to prevent overexposure.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Under federal law, trunks of cars built after 2002 are required to contain a mechanical release lever inside the trunk that is easy to find and glows in the dark.
    Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • These cues told the robot which drums to strike and when.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Aug. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Beats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beats. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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