beating

noun

beat·​ing ˈbē-tiŋ How to pronounce beating (audio)
1
: an act of striking with repeated blows so as to injure or damage
also : the injury or damage thus inflicted
2
3

Examples of beating in a Sentence

he wears a pacemaker to help maintain a regular beating of his heart took a beating and ended up in second place
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Todd takes an emotional beating throughout the album. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025 The demo is full of a lot of welcome, lighthearted touches, like the ability to surf on giant slabs of rock or shake the controller for a very ape-like beating of Donkey Kong's chest. ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2025 He has been sacked after less than a season in charge of Juve, finished off by beatings from Atalanta and Fiorentina. Phil Hay, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025 The beating damaged more than 73,000 homes in North Carolina, including 8,800 confirmed to be either badly harmed or destroyed, according to a state action plan. Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beating

Word History

Etymology

Middle English betynge, from gerund of beten "to beat entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beating was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beating. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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