Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🥚 To mix too much 🏆 To defeat easily 🥁 To play too loudly
to overbeat

to overbeat

8.1
Hit a drum or rhythm too hard so the sound is too loud
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərˈbiːt/
translation icon : golpear en exceso
  • The band leader asked the percussionist not to overbeat during the quiet sections of the song.

Examples

  • Don't overbeat the drum!

  • If you overbeat the drums, the music can become overwhelming and lose its subtlety.

  • She realized she had overbeat the rhythm, making it difficult for the dancers to keep time.

  • The musician tends to overbeat during performances.

  • The drummer was warned not to overbeat the bass drum during the performance.

  • If you overbeat the mixture, it will become too tough and chewy.

  • To avoid sounding harsh, please be careful not to overbeat the cymbals.

Synonyms

to bang
vsto overbeat
318 1.0

To hit or close something suddenly and loudly

is about rhythmic striking that is overly forceful and too loud
to thump
vsto overbeat
27 3.4

To hit something hard so it makes a dull sound

is similar impact but applied to rhythm and too loud overall
to bang away
vsto overbeat
  • Informal
3 6.7

To hit something again and again with force, for example when playing an instrument

is focused on hitting too hard so the sound becomes excessive
to thud
vsto overbeat
2 3.5

To make a heavy, dull sound when something hits or falls

involves musical striking that is excessively loud rather than merely dull
to pound a beat
vsto overbeat
  • Informal
1 7.7

Play a loud, strong rhythm on a drum or instrument

is similar but goes too forceful and produces excessive sound
to thump out
vsto overbeat
1 7.0

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

is the same action taken too loudly and with excess volume
to bang out
vsto overbeat
  • Informal
1 7.8

To play music loudly and simply on an instrument

matches loudness but stresses excessive force causing too much sound

How Loud

to pound
225 1.3
to overbeat
8.1
to strike
155 4.2
to beat
  • NSFW
∞ 1.2
tap
66 1.0

Surface Forms

overbeat infinitive
overbeating present participle
overbeats third person singular
overbore past
overbeaten past participle

Morphology

overbeat = beat (transparent) = over + beat

The meaning 'strike or play a rhythm too forcefully' is a literal application of 'over-' (excessively) to 'beat' (rhythmic striking), which is clear.

Etymology

Overbeat comes from the parts over- meaning 'too much' and beat meaning 'to strike a rhythm' or 'to hit a drum'. So to overbeat the drums is to hit them 'too hard' or 'too loudly', making the music lose its balance.