beaten

adjective

beat·​en ˈbē-tᵊn How to pronounce beaten (audio)
1
: hammered into a desired shape
beaten gold
2
: much trodden and worn smooth
also : familiar
a beaten path
3
: being in a state of exhaustion : exhausted
Phrases
off the beaten track or US off the beaten path
: in a remote place rarely visited by people
The store is truly located off the beaten path, in an industrial park tucked away on a quiet road.Mike Lustig
I am always looking for trips that are off the beaten track and are simple, safe, and rewarding in the numbers and varieties of birds located.Hugh P. Smith, Jr.

Examples of beaten in a Sentence

felt beaten after three months of 90-hour workweeks
Recent Examples on the Web Three shallow bowls: one with flour, another with beaten egg, the third with breadcrumbs. Yotam Ottolenghi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Score the puff pastry lightly in a diagonal pattern with a sharp knife or box cutter, then brush it with the beaten egg. The Editors, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024 Dredge the egg whites: Take each egg white half and dredge it in flour, gently shaking off the excess before dipping it in the beaten egg. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 7 Dec. 2023 Remove and discard plastic wrap from rolls, and gently brush tops of rolls with some of the beaten egg. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 Chee mashes the kernels with beaten egg, salt and a flourish of sugar that brings the flavor into focus but leaves no trace of sweetness. Ligaya Mishan Esther Choi, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2022 Add the beaten egg. Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2022 Brush outer edges with beaten egg. Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 27 Apr. 2022 Brush the border with the beaten egg. BostonGlobe.com, 8 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beaten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beten, from past participle of beten "to beat entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beaten was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near beaten

Cite this Entry

“Beaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beaten. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

beaten

adjective
beat·​en ˈbēt-ᵊn How to pronounce beaten (audio)
: worn smooth by passing feet
the beaten path

More from Merriam-Webster on beaten

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