as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he tends to stand around and beef for hours about any slight, real or imagined
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of beefing
Grocery behemoth Trader Joe’s and jam giant Smucker are beefing right now.
—
Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
Injuries would be a concern, but this is a beefing-up-the-squad signing.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Gina is beefing, once again, with good taste.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Zach Bryan has pledged to never perform in Kansas City again after once again beefing with Chiefs fans on social media.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2025
Somebody that’s just a walking movie, ’cause even the managers be over there beefing.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
Lyfe Jennings is beefing with Muni Long.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
Injuries would be a concern, but this is a beefing-up-the-squad signing.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Gina is beefing, once again, with good taste.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Zach Bryan has pledged to never perform in Kansas City again after once again beefing with Chiefs fans on social media.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2025
Somebody that’s just a walking movie, ’cause even the managers be over there beefing.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
Lyfe Jennings is beefing with Muni Long.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beefing
Verb
-
Dani has fallen asleep, though only after complaining vociferously about the light.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Lyons said store owners had been complaining about the retail for some time.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Video captured officers screaming at him to drop the knife, followed by several gunshots from police.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
-
His new visions are shattered by an explosion of light and color as, beneath his fist, the green light blazes, the kyber crystal of the Jedi screaming in corruption and cowardice, in fear and loathing—the lies of the Jedi revealed at last.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Common signals include sniffing, circling, squatting, or whining.—
Madeline Gunderson,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The floor buffers come out, whining like jet engines in the hallways, erasing over a month’s worth of shoe scuffs that made the place look like the dasher boards at the hockey rink.—
Mark Glende,
Twin Cities,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beefing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beefing. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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