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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Recent Examples of beefing
Injuries would be a concern, but this is a beefing-up-the-squad signing.
—
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Country star Kacey Musgraves is currently beefing with a fat internet activist who is mad at her because Walmart doesn't sell any of her newest line of clothing in plus sizes.
—Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
When the part of Season 2’s Austin came his way, Melton jumped at the chance to play one of the series’ beefing leads.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 17 Apr. 2026
Nader’s character Selene is a Zuma Beach lifeguard constantly beefing with new, grown up Hobie Buchanon, played by Stephen Amell.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 9 Mar. 2026
Bill Maher and Jimmy Kimmel are beefing.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Smith launched their original Slider sunglasses in 1995, leaning into the nineties silhouette and beefing it up with the first patented dual-lens interchangeable system.
—Lily Ritter, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
Efforts at beefing them up priced them out of existence.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Jan. 2026
The reason that Natalie and Kim are beefing is because Kim doesn’t like that Marcus and Natalie are becoming friends.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Country star Kacey Musgraves is currently beefing with a fat internet activist who is mad at her because Walmart doesn't sell any of her newest line of clothing in plus sizes.
—Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
When the part of Season 2’s Austin came his way, Melton jumped at the chance to play one of the series’ beefing leads.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 17 Apr. 2026
Nader’s character Selene is a Zuma Beach lifeguard constantly beefing with new, grown up Hobie Buchanon, played by Stephen Amell.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 9 Mar. 2026
Bill Maher and Jimmy Kimmel are beefing.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Smith launched their original Slider sunglasses in 1995, leaning into the nineties silhouette and beefing it up with the first patented dual-lens interchangeable system.
—Lily Ritter, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
Efforts at beefing them up priced them out of existence.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Jan. 2026
The reason that Natalie and Kim are beefing is because Kim doesn’t like that Marcus and Natalie are becoming friends.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beefing
Verb
-
Hegseth had some choice words for Europe, complaining that allies in the region hadn’t pulled their weight.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
-
Now in the possession of Kelly Kilpatrick (Cherry Jones), Deborah, dragging a complaining Ava with her as a kind of opposite beard, decides to con Kilpatrick and her wife Monica (Leslie Bibb).—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
And watching the videos of the people jumping out of their chairs, screaming, cheering was so cool.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
2 June 2026
-
An exasperated Tomás enters the thicket himself to retrieve, among other items, Liam’s boot, and doesn’t emerge until the next day—not screaming, but fundamentally changed.—
Nora Biette-Timmons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
And how about the Liberty players and coaches whining about it?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
In other words, the league no longer wants to be in the business of fining people for playing Cody Williams and John Konchar in the fourth quarter, or listening to other GMs whining about it.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beefing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beefing. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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