beat 1 of 3

Definition of beatnext
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as in to throb
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beat

2 of 3

noun

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as in pulse
a rhythmic expanding and contracting a single beat of the heart is said to be all that separates the vice president from the presidency

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in rhythm
the recurrent pattern formed by a series of sounds having a regular rise and fall in intensity moved to the beat of the music

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beat

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adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of beat
Verb
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat 2 large eggs, 1 cup (200 g) sugar, and 1 tsp. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026 The company also beat earnings expectations for its first quarter, though revenue for the period came in slightly under expectations. Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
Still, that competition will be around the top of the list to watch for this beat writer. Mike Kaye april 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026 Johnson barges in, wearing some sort of candy-apple-color fur coat and cooly issuing demands in a perfect, beat-for-beat take on Streep’s famous scene in the first The Devil Wears Prada. Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Past that, the Xavier school looks pretty beat to hell in the scenes before that. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 6 Jan. 2026 Shopping around Macy’s beat Wall Street’s top- and bottom-line expectations for the third quarter this morning, posting its strongest growth in more than three years. Alex Harring, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Verb
  • Maximilien, a French national, allegedly uploaded a clip of himself licking a straw from an iJooz vending machine before putting it back in the dispenser.
    Adam England, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
  • There’s Cassie licking a melting ice cream cone as the ice cream drips down her bare chest.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
  • In large part because the only feeling more satisfying than defeating your enemies is that of defeating your friends.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This expansion comes amid a record 12 million visitors across California’s nine national parks in 2025, surpassing previous attendance records.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Perez now sits 10 homers shy of surpassing Hall of Famer George Brett for the franchise record.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The collection consists of the sneaker brand’s UNO sneakers (which, PSA, are a fab Nike Air Max alternative), Arch Fit, and Slip-Ins—all of which include some of the most impressive cushioning and support, so your feet won’t throb after standing for hours in a field.
    Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 19 Mar. 2026
  • The smoke kept rising and the clouds continued to throb with sickly yellow-and-black whorls until just after sunset, when the boiling mass of vapor suddenly turned pink and scarlet, like a poisonous flower opening its petals.
    New York Times, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The adult moths are attracted to light and will flutter around in the kitchen after sunset looking for a mate.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Kick your legs in small up-and-down fluttering motions while keeping your lower back flat and abs tight throughout.
    Jakob Roze, Health, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The letter was about a 50-year-old who was frustrated that a 70-year-old friend didn’t pick up the phone when called.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Bianco grew visibly frustrated several times over the debate’s format and his opponents’ answers.
    Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Nixon has recently been spending time helping out during UCF’s spring camp, drawing praise from running backs coach Jimmy Beal.
    Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Around the world, birds flock to salt lakes, drawn by the flies and brine shrimp that live in them, and by the relative absence of predators.
    Rosa Lyster, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The chickens slowly turn as glowing flames lap at their skin.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • ServiceNow, meanwhile, is doing everything right—almost every revenue and profitability metric glowed in its latest quarterly results—and yet shares took a 14% dive as the SaaSpocalypse fears loom.
    John Kell, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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