Synonyms of beat
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as in to lick 
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as in to defeat
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as in to surpass
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as in to throb
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as in to flutter
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as in to frustrate
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as in to draw
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as in to glow
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as in to drum
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as in to confuse
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as in to circumvent
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as in to grind
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as in to cheat
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as in blow
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as in pulse
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as in rhythm
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as in minute
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as in tired
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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Entries Near
1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to defeat
to achieve a victory over
she always beats everyone at checkers, but she's not as good at chess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to surpass
to be greater, better, or stronger than
this new animated feature sure beats everything else that's ever been done in animation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to flutter
to move or cause to move with a striking motion
the bird's wings beat strongly as it soared in the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to frustrate
to prevent from achieving a goal
you beat me to it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
9
as in to drum
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
beat the drum in a marching rhythm
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10
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it beats me how that slipup happened
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in to circumvent
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
he spends all of his time trying to beat the system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
13
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the screenwriter has filed a lawsuit, accusing the production company of beating him out of his share of the film's net profits
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered one hard beat on the drums
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2
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
3
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
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4
as in minute
a very small space of time
within a beat he was on the phone complaining about an error in his bill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
can we pick this up tomorrow, because I'm beat?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of beat
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
The top prize of $8 million comes only after beating intimidating odds of 1 in 3,042,264.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2025
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
The freshman scored seven goals and added two steals as Hillsdale beat Carlmont 14-8.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
In a miracle from the beat gods, workers on site were able to clear out the piles of debris and construct a new stage to host the fest’s headliners overnight, giving Nervo, Axwell, Martin Garrix, Alok and others a place to perform on night one.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for beat
Verb
Or in 1983, when UF soundly beat UM 28-3, only to see the Hurricanes win every other game in the season and then the national championship against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
The top prize of $8 million comes only after beating intimidating odds of 1 in 3,042,264.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
Speedy running back De’Von Achane beat linebacker Robert Spillane for a touchdown on a 29-yard catch and run.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
The freshman scored seven goals and added two steals as Hillsdale beat Carlmont 14-8.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Those submissions—we’ve received thousands since this list first launched—are then analyzed and supplemented by reporting from beat journalists at Forbes and Know Your Value.
—Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
In a miracle from the beat gods, workers on site were able to clear out the piles of debris and construct a new stage to host the fest’s headliners overnight, giving Nervo, Axwell, Martin Garrix, Alok and others a place to perform on night one.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for beat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat
Verb
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Astro came up to Mars and immediately sniffed him and then started licking him.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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As the credits roll, audiences see several Hashiras navigating the creepy castle while licking their wounds.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Dodgers went on to defeat the Giants by the score of 6-3 giving Kershaw a no-decision while clinching a postseason berth.—
Wayne G. McDonnell,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Cam Macgregor tossed two touchdown passes and ran for a score, while Mason Alger ran for two touchdowns as Bellingham defeated Westwood 34-12 in the Tri-Valley League.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There have been 74 pitchers who have started at least 440 ball games since 1920, and Kershaw is the only one who hasn’t surpassed triple-digit losses according to Baseball-Reference.—
Wayne G. McDonnell,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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This year’s competition is the third straight without any of the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, but the three-day event will surpass its previous record revenue set in 2022, according to Laver Cup CEO Steve Zacks.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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What comes next is a scorching exploration of diaspora and survival told through the throbbing beats of EDM.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
19 Sep. 2025
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Even with a relatively small sample size, the anomaly stuck out like a giant, red, throbbing sore thumb — a favorite gag in animation.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Yet there is still a whiff of old-fashioned British grandeur about the production, with its fluttering pennants, Norman kite shields, and mounted knights.—
Will Collins,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
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And Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of Team USA sealed her iconic 100 Metres Final win with lashes that fluttered as boldly as her stride, plus long nails that looked as unstoppable as her finish.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Larsen makes Didi’s absurd actions feel credible, something a woman frustrated with her own life would do, in haste, on behalf of another.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
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The East African nation has been frustrated about the poor equipment, lack of manpower and money to help dismantled Haiti’s gangs.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lulgjuraj, who is attempting to draw a grassroots versus establishment contrast in the race, criticized Bouchard for advocating on behalf of his son.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Sep. 2025
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The initiative has drawn involvement from top health officials including Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the last few seconds her palm glowed red, and then the light disappeared.—
Rachel Seo,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
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The mythology of entrepreneurship is everywhere, from TED Talks and Instagram reels to investor decks glowing with vision.—
Anuradha Gupta,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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