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 Mercury takes a constant beating from the sun, so its exosphere has to regenerate itself from the surface. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024 The rights groups included Israel’s B’Tselem, which documented beatings, threats and subjecting prisoners to twisted, painful bodily positions. Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for beating 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beating.' 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 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

Dictionary Entries Near beating

Cite this Entry

“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beating. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

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!