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Synonyms

beating

American  
[bee-ting] / ˈbi tɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that beats, as to punish, clean, mix, etc..

    Give the rug a good beating.

  2. a defeat or reverse; loss; setback

    Several stocks took a beating in the market today.

  3. pulsation; throbbing.

    the beating of her heart.
beating British  
/ ˈbiːtɪŋ /

noun

  1. a whipping or thrashing, as in punishment

  2. a defeat or setback

  3. to be difficult to improve upon

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of beating

First recorded in 1200–50; from Middle English betynge; beat, -ing 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An 18th consecutive home victory in the competition, beating a record that had stood since the 1880s.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Iran loads 90% of its crude oil at Kharg, making it the beating heart of Iran’s economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Retail sales rose 0.6% from January, beating economists’ expectations.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

“It’s almost like it has a life of its own now, beating its own path,” says Burden.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Art is long, and Time is fleeting; And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.