beatdown

noun

beat·​down ˈbēt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce beatdown (audio)
1
US, informal : a violent physical beating
… said his own client was badly hurt in a beatdown by NYPD officers …Shayna Jacobs
2
US, informal : an emphatic or overwhelming defeat
… he was sitting in his Eugene hotel room, … while absorbing a beatdown in PlayStation 3 boxing from his 10-year-old brother Seth.Tim Layden

Examples of beatdown in a Sentence

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.
Panama might be a tempting longshot in that one, though, after three decisive wins in group play, including a 4-1 beatdown of Jamaica on Tuesday night. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 Thursday afternoon, the Angels pulled off the rare feat of three different players with a multi-homer game in an 11-1 beatdown of Tampa Bay. John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025 In the Celtics' beatdown of the Mavericks, Brown played a huge role in limiting Luka Doncic. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025 In the Western Conference Finals, OKC bested Minnesota by 26 points, 15 points and 42 points, before closing out the series with a 30-point beatdown. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for beatdown

Word History

First Known Use

1989, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beatdown was in 1989

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beatdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beatdown. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!