1
as in licks
to strike repeatedly
they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in defeats
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 surpasses
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
as in throbs
to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner
the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in flutters
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 frustrates
to prevent from achieving a goal
you beat me to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
as in glows
to shine with a bright harsh light
the tropical sun beat down on our heads without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in drums
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
beat the drum in a marching rhythm
Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in confuses
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it beats me how that slipup happened
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in circumvents
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
as in grinds
to reduce to fine particles
years of pounding had beaten the pebbles to a fine dust
Synonyms & Similar Words
13
as in plucks
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 blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered one hard beat on the drums
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pulses
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 rhythms
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
4
as in heartbeats
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of beats
Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
For most people, action, cultivating a sense of agency, beats seething.
—Wendy Nelson Espeland, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Skiers can get the latest snow report with a touch of a button on their phones these days, but nothing beats watching snow pile up on a traditional snow snake, which is why Colorado’s ski resorts keep them around — and film them with 24-hour webcams.
—The Know, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
That structure beats constant monitoring.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Washington Post Extra vacation time now beats bonuses as the top driver of feeling valued at work, according to new research.
—Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
Against Talarico, Paxton wins, 46 percent to 44 percent; while Cornyn beats Talarico, 44 percent to 43 percent.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 9 Feb. 2026
The heart beats in the kitchen and family room, which flow to one another but still maintain enough of a separation to make each space feel distinct.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
And in Los Angeles, the temperature on Wednesday reached a record high of 88 degrees, which beats their typical highs in July and August.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
But the textures also start to get too uniformly shadowy, the beats too stiff.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Food writers who know their beats best.
—Liz Johnson, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Leading them with graceful, sweeping beats and a sparkling hibiscus flower on his lapel?
—Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Fans of the timeless French tip need only add a few beats of bright red to transform the look.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
The audio-first company, which is owned by the Graham family — the Post’s owners before Bezos — plans to introduce original reporting, and will pick up some local beats, including sports and metro coverage.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Most adults have a resting heart rate of between 60 and 100 beats per minute, according to the American Heart Association.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
When a bat hibernates, its heart rate drops from 200 to 300 beats per minute to just 10, reducing energy costs by about 98%.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
Albemarle revenue down but beats expectations Albemarle also raised its long-term global lithium demand forecast Thursday, citing an explosive growth in the stationary storage market.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
For most people, action, cultivating a sense of agency, beats seething.
—Wendy Nelson Espeland, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Skiers can get the latest snow report with a touch of a button on their phones these days, but nothing beats watching snow pile up on a traditional snow snake, which is why Colorado’s ski resorts keep them around — and film them with 24-hour webcams.
—The Know, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
That structure beats constant monitoring.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Washington Post Extra vacation time now beats bonuses as the top driver of feeling valued at work, according to new research.
—Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
Against Talarico, Paxton wins, 46 percent to 44 percent; while Cornyn beats Talarico, 44 percent to 43 percent.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 9 Feb. 2026
The heart beats in the kitchen and family room, which flow to one another but still maintain enough of a separation to make each space feel distinct.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
And in Los Angeles, the temperature on Wednesday reached a record high of 88 degrees, which beats their typical highs in July and August.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
This earnings season, Europe's biggest pharma companies posted results ranging from 7% beats to 3% misses — but no one really cared.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
But the textures also start to get too uniformly shadowy, the beats too stiff.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Food writers who know their beats best.
—Liz Johnson, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Leading them with graceful, sweeping beats and a sparkling hibiscus flower on his lapel?
—Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Fans of the timeless French tip need only add a few beats of bright red to transform the look.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
The audio-first company, which is owned by the Graham family — the Post’s owners before Bezos — plans to introduce original reporting, and will pick up some local beats, including sports and metro coverage.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Most adults have a resting heart rate of between 60 and 100 beats per minute, according to the American Heart Association.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
When a bat hibernates, its heart rate drops from 200 to 300 beats per minute to just 10, reducing energy costs by about 98%.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beats
Verb
-
Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
-
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
South Carroll defeats Rising Sun in the Class 1A final during the 2026 MPSSAA Dual Wrestling State Championships at North Point High School on Saturday, Feb 14.—
Brian T. Krista,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Feb. 2026
-
If New England defeats the Seattle Seahawks, Vrabel will become the first person to ever win a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach for the same franchise.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That marks a record since the party's foundation in 1955 and surpasses the previous record of 300 seats won in 1986 by late Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone.—
MARI YAMAGUCHI,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
That marks a record since the party’s foundation in 1955 and surpasses the previous record of 300 seats won in 1986 by the party under late Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone.—
Mari Yamaguchi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Pain that is not a word throbs in his shoulders, awakens him each morning.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
6 Jan. 2026
-
While the game is played across the country, its pulse throbs in Rio.—
Michal Ruprecht,
NPR,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel (center) flutters a Venezuelan and Cuban national flags in support of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Havana.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Usually the offseason frustrates me.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Made almost entirely from screen recordings and captures, Their Eyes frustrates the viewer’s desire to see beyond the digital interface.—
Farren Fei Yuan,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The approach draws from Western character IP models and Japanese anime’s cross-platform playbook, targeting younger audiences while the studio prepares to announce a new feature film partnership by mid-2026.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
-
In a statement that offers a window into what audiences might expect from the stage production, Smith elaborated on what draws her to Jackson’s world.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Each packs several pieces of shrimp in a thick, chewy wheat-starch wrapper that glows almost silvery under the light.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The bill was able to move forward after Castillo agreed to a carve-out for GloFish, a type of fish that glows due to the insertion of Green Flourescent Protein (GFP) into its DNA.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beats. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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