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to beat

to beat

1.2
To hit something or someone again and again, making a rhythm
  • verb
  • /biːt/
  • NSFW
translation icon : golpear
  • This doesn't mean you need to beat on your chest.
  • the heart beats
  • savagely beat
  • detained and beaten

This was a teenage boy who beat on a little girl.

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Examples

  • Inside, she felt the drums begin to beat as she realized he did mean it.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Your friend is telling you not to beat yourself up for it.

  • The chief himself held the drum, beat time, and often joined in the song.

    Academic text (2017)
  • I can barely hear my heart beating.

  • You have been beaten.

  • He started to beat the drum in time with the music.

  • The coach told the players to beat the opponents during the final match.

  • She would beat the eggs until they were fluffy and ready for the cake.

Synonyms

to strike
vsto beat
553 2.4

To hit someone or something with force

usually involves repeated strikes or ongoing rhythmic striking
to bang
vsto beat
318 1.0

To hit or close something suddenly and loudly

can imply repeated strikes or steady rhythmic hitting rather than one hit
to beat up
vsto beat
  • Offensive
271 4.1

To attack someone by hitting them again and again to hurt them

can mean repeated hitting too but also making rhythmic sounds
to pound
vsto beat
225 1.3

To hit something again and again very hard

can also mean rhythmic sound, not only heavy destructive strikes
to hammer
vsto beat
198 1.6

To hit something many times to shape or flatten it

is more general, covering repeated striking without requiring a tool
to flap
vsto beat
54 1.4

To move up and down quickly, like wings or flags

involves hitting or striking repeatedly or creating rhythmic sounds
to pummel
vsto beat
46 6.7

Hit something many times, usually with your fists

is broader and can mean beating either as violence or rhythm
to pulse
vsto beat
20 4.2

To move in a steady rhythm like a heart

refers more to striking actions or creating rhythm by hits
to drum
vsto beat
18 1.3

To make a continuous rhythmic sound by hitting a surface

adds the sense of also hitting people, not only making rhythm
to pulsate
vsto beat
13 4.1

To beat or move in a steady rhythm

focuses instead on active striking or making rhythmic sounds by hits
to beat on
vsto beat
  • Informal
13 5.0

To keep going despite difficulty or to make a steady sound like rain on a roof

focuses on actual repeated striking or rhythmic sound by hitting
to thump
vsto beat
10 3.5

To make strong regular beats you can feel in your chest

is about active striking or making rhythm by hitting things
to work over
vsto beat
  • Offensive
8 8.4

To physically attack and beat someone to punish or threaten them

includes that aggressive hitting but also nonviolent rhythmic striking
to rap
vsto beat
8 3.7

To hit something quickly to make a short sharp sound

typically refers to repeated striking or steady rhythmic sounds
to beat out
vsto beat
2 3.6

Make a rhythm by hitting something repeatedly, like a drum

also covers hitting people as repeated blows, not only rhythmic sound
to tap out
vsto beat
1 4.4

To touch something lightly with fingers or an object to make a rhythm

is similar but also includes harder repeated striking or assault
to bop
vsto beat
  • Informal
1 6.1

To hit someone quickly in a light, playful way

normally means repeated or rhythmic striking, not only quick taps
to thump out
vsto beat
1 7.0

To play a strong, repeated beat by hitting an instrument like a drum

is broader, including repeated blows that are not musical
to pound a beat
vsto beat
  • Informal
1 7.7

Play a loud, strong rhythm on a drum or instrument

can mean the same musical action or physical repeated hitting
to thrum
vsto beat
8.0

To make a low, steady humming sound

is closer to active hitting, including repeated physical blows
to bomp
vsto beat
9.5

To hit something so it makes a dull thumping sound

is broader, covering rhythmic or repeated striking beyond dull thumps

Antonyms

42 3.7

To give someone too much care and special treatment

14 3.8

A gentle touch that shows affection

Idioms

To succeed despite great difficulty or low chances

to beat to a pulp
  • Offensive
15 7.6

Hit someone many times until they are badly hurt or win against them very clearly

To do something before someone else to get an advantage

on the beat
  • Literature
10 5.5

Working in one area, usually as a police officer or reporter

to skip a beat
  • Informal
9 6.1

To feel your heart stop for a moment because you are suddenly excited or scared

To finish something before the time runs out

To defeat someone by using their own methods

3 5.5

To act immediately and confidently without pausing

3 7.7

Win easily by a lot against another person or team

Search carefully in many places to find someone or something

To speak or act strongly to support a cause

to beat feet
  • Slang
2 9.0

To leave quickly to escape or avoid something

To move or act together at the same time in the same way

To work very hard or to threaten to hit someone

1 9.0

Hit someone many times until they are badly hurt

to beat my brain
  • Informal
1 8.2

To think very hard to remember something or to solve a problem

to beat the band
  • Informal
1 8.9

To do something with great energy and excitement

To leave a place quickly to avoid danger or trouble

To do much better than people expected

Push away a lot of people or fans as a joke about being too popular

9.1

Show deep regret by hitting your chest and crying

to beat one's meat
  • Offensive
9.9

To touch his own penis to feel sexual pleasure

To change weapons into tools for peaceful work like farming

to beat the bishop
  • Offensive
9.9

To touch your own private parts to make yourself sexually excited

9.9

Get up very early before sunrise

9.9

A person or thing that looks very ugly, said as a joke

7.5

Always alert and ready to react to news and events

Phrasal Verbs

to beat up
  • Offensive
271 4.1

To attack someone by hitting them again and again to hurt them

53 9.9

To hurt or defeat someone very badly, often by hitting them

49 3.8

Defeat others in a contest to win a job or prize

17 5.6

To avoid saying what you mean directly

14 6.0

To force someone or something to move away

to beat on
  • Informal
13 5.0

To keep going despite difficulty or to make a steady sound like rain on a roof

4 3.9

To shine or fall very strongly on a place

2 3.6

Make a rhythm by hitting something repeatedly, like a drum

Arrive before most people to avoid large groups

to beat off
  • Informal
1 8.1

Make animals or people who attack you go away

1 9.9

To defeat someone completely, often physically or in a game, used in rude speech

to beat down
  • Informal
1 4.9

To get someone to sell something for a lower price

to beat in
  • Informal
1 7.2

To train someone by repeating something until they learn it

Speak strongly in public to support a person, idea, or cause

To hit someone or something very hard and damage it

to pound a beat
  • Informal
1 7.7

Play a loud, strong rhythm on a drum or instrument

7.4

Move around looking for something in a worried or confused way

To seem weak or not convincing next to something better

To win against other teams or companies in a contest

To remove dust from rugs by hitting or shaking them

9.6

Hit someone many times so they become badly hurt

Compounds

2 8.0

A group of American writers and artists from the 1950s who reject social rules and choose free creative lives

beat combo
  • Archaic
1 6.5

A small band that plays rhythm music for dancing

beat music
  • Archaic
1 4.0

A style of pop rock from 1960s Britain with strong rhythms and simple melodies

staccato beat
  • Specialized
1 6.1

Short, sharp musical sounds that have clear gaps between notes

type beat
  • Jargon
7.7

A music track made in the style of a popular artist

How Hard

to batter
187 3.5
pound
15 4.7
to strike
553 2.4
to beat
  • NSFW
1.2
to tap
174 1.0
to pat
110 1.0

Surface Forms

beat infinitive
beat past
beating present participle
beats third person singular
beaten past participle

Etymology

Beat originally meant 'to strike' and comes from the Old English word beatan, which also meant hitting again and again. So to beat something is to hit or strike it repeatedly.