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 thumps
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
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Timing beats speed, precision beats power, your dad says.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Trevon Diggs Nabers simply beats Diggs to the spot here.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025
And respect—for nature, for data, for people who depend on us—beats every shortcut.
—Sheri Bachstein, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Our phone cameras are fun and all, but nothing beats the feeling of holding an actual camera that is all specced up.
—PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
Their late son Noah's heart beats in her chest.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Inside beats the hand-wound Calibre 595 in solid gold, offering 100 hours of power alongside a clever annual calendar.
—Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
The heart beats faster and has to work harder during moderate and intense exercise, which increases its fitness and therefore your cardiovascular health.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Sep. 2025
Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
The anonymous teen's mother, who did not release her daughter's name for privacy, told local outlet WMBF News that her daughter began hallucinating last week and her heart rate reached nearly 200 beats per minute.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Block just 10 minutes between meetings, take a tech-free lunch, step outside and let your brain go quiet for a few beats.
—Bronwen Sciortino, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Over glitchy computer beats and a light wash of synths, Bowie outlined his late-period artistic thesis.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Propelled by one of guitarist Wes Borland’s hypnotic riffs, crunching beats, old-school record scratches and the group’s signature shouty choruses, the whole thing comes crashing to a close with a pummeling final chorus that finally nods to the country star in the title.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
Latin rhythms blend with Caribbean, American, and European beats.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Music supervisor Matt Biffa relishes more than a few needle drops catered to scandalous character beats that only enrich this viewing experience.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
Apple has developed an algorithm that analyzes how blood vessels respond to beats of the heart using the Watch's optical heart sensor.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Creating and conserving optionality in application development consistently beats compression, regardless of industry.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Timing beats speed, precision beats power, your dad says.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Trevon Diggs Nabers simply beats Diggs to the spot here.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025
And respect—for nature, for data, for people who depend on us—beats every shortcut.
—Sheri Bachstein, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Our phone cameras are fun and all, but nothing beats the feeling of holding an actual camera that is all specced up.
—PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
Their late son Noah's heart beats in her chest.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Inside beats the hand-wound Calibre 595 in solid gold, offering 100 hours of power alongside a clever annual calendar.
—Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
The heart beats faster and has to work harder during moderate and intense exercise, which increases its fitness and therefore your cardiovascular health.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
Dee Carion is the mastermind behind Doechii’s artful beats, the avant garde lip and eyeliner designs that color our feeds, and the editorial-grade styles on stars such as Chappel Roan, Honey Balenciaga, Kehlani, SZA, and Ayo Edibiri.
—Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
The anonymous teen's mother, who did not release her daughter's name for privacy, told local outlet WMBF News that her daughter began hallucinating last week and her heart rate reached nearly 200 beats per minute.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Block just 10 minutes between meetings, take a tech-free lunch, step outside and let your brain go quiet for a few beats.
—Bronwen Sciortino, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Over glitchy computer beats and a light wash of synths, Bowie outlined his late-period artistic thesis.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Propelled by one of guitarist Wes Borland’s hypnotic riffs, crunching beats, old-school record scratches and the group’s signature shouty choruses, the whole thing comes crashing to a close with a pummeling final chorus that finally nods to the country star in the title.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
Latin rhythms blend with Caribbean, American, and European beats.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Music supervisor Matt Biffa relishes more than a few needle drops catered to scandalous character beats that only enrich this viewing experience.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
Apple has developed an algorithm that analyzes how blood vessels respond to beats of the heart using the Watch's optical heart sensor.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beats
Verb
-
When asked the question, the owl takes the lollipop and licks it three times before chomping down on its hard shell exterior and handing the stick back to the child.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Providing a narrow network or mail-order-only option defeats the purpose.—
Wendy Barnes,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Getting vaccinated too early defeats the purpose.—
Eileen Finan,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The country now surpasses the cocaine production of South American countries Peru and Bolivia combined.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This could represent a significant edge in a GPU market constrained by supply, where demand significantly surpasses availability, especially for cutting-edge chips.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Portugal’s coastline throbs with beach goers and sports enthusiasts.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This is part of a business model that has worked for TCU’s regular-season record, but increasingly frustrates fans who want to see a decent matchup in September.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The sharp jump in investor activity is likely due to their financial strength, which can often combat the state’s legendary low affordability that frustrates the common house hunter.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While Zion sees around five million annual visitors, Isle Royale draws around 25,000.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Related Stories Although set in the present day, the series draws inspiration from New York City’s dark past — specifically the downfall and eventual closure of the influential gastropub, the Spotted Pig.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the title might suggest, the k-drama A Hundred Memories glows with nostalgia, the nostalgia of an earlier decade and also a time in life when dreams seem possible.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The course glows at night, thanks to a custom LED system that lights up the track.—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
These cues told the robot which drums to strike and when.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beats. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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