✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

beating

noun

beat·​ing ˈbē-tiŋ How to pronounce beating (audio)
1
: an act of striking with repeated blows so as to injure or damage
also : the injury or damage thus inflicted
2
3

Examples of beating in a Sentence

he wears a pacemaker to help maintain a regular beating of his heart took a beating and ended up in second place
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Fin was hospitalized from the beating and took a leave of absence to deal with the trauma from the altercation. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 25 Nov. 2025 After the beating and arrest, Abuatelah was charged as a juvenile with unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, and possession of cannabis. Todd Feurer, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025 His electronics and passport were then taken, and he was allegedly subjected to beatings and electric shock, according to the outlet. Tanisha Bhat, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025 Shares of the industrial gas giant have taken an unnecessary beating recently. Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 15 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beating

Word History

Etymology

Middle English betynge, from gerund 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 beating was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beating. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on beating

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!