as in to repel
to drive back
the defense managed to beat off those offensive players who were taking shots at the goalie
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Recent Examples of beat off
Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose gets a lot of notice for its athletics programs, but the Monarchs are proving to be the team to beat off the sports fields, too.
—
Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
He regularly gets beat off the bounce by quicker players.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes.
—CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Chip Somodevilla/Pool Photo via AP What To Know Obama beat off stiff competition from the likes of David Attenborough and Tom Hanks to win the Outstanding Narrator prize for his narration of the five-part Netflix series Our Oceans, which examines marine life across the world's oceans.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
In 2024, it was given to Netflix France series Class Act, which beat off competition from huge hits like The Bear, Beef and Succession.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Breathing problems which sent my heart beat off the charts.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
He regularly gets beat off the bounce by quicker players.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes.
—CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Chip Somodevilla/Pool Photo via AP What To Know Obama beat off stiff competition from the likes of David Attenborough and Tom Hanks to win the Outstanding Narrator prize for his narration of the five-part Netflix series Our Oceans, which examines marine life across the world's oceans.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
In 2024, it was given to Netflix France series Class Act, which beat off competition from huge hits like The Bear, Beef and Succession.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Breathing problems which sent my heart beat off the charts.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beat off
Verb
-
The strong aroma of onions repels many garden pests and can keep deer and rabbits from nibbling on your bell peppers.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
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Those bright, vibrant blooms in shades of yellow, orange, and red also repel flies and other insects thanks to their pungent odors.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
Verb
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But the California high school athletics governing body has resisted, sparking outrage from anti-trans groups.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
These allow companies to resist speculative takeover and embed mission and values for the benefit of employees, customers, and/or the broader community.—
Alex Amouyel,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
While the Royals were turned away a second time, the Red Sox capitalized in the top of the sixth.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
-
Abadani hopes Cambridge Housing Authority can turn away from the old heating and cooling system altogether.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Sunset and the other arteries became metal chokepoints; engines were rerouted or turned back.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
-
Repairs were finally completed in October 2025 and on Wednesday, the fountain was turned back on.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Firstman’s debut directorial effort, Club Kid, shrewdly acknowledges those garish personality tics, which have both endeared and repulsed audiences.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
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Anyone who has worked in or observed the media industry for the last couple of decades will recognize and be repulsed by nepo-baby Jay, who is undeniably villainous.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Restoring whitebark pine forests will also help keep snow on the landscape longer and stave off drought and wildfires.—
Ellis Juhlin,
NPR,
18 May 2026
-
Cat Petteys hit two home runs and Jessica Walter pitched a one-hitter as the UConn softball team staved off elimination with a 5-1 victory over McNeese in the NCAA Tournament Regional at College Station, Texas.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beat off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beat%20off. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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