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.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has arrested one man and is searching for another after the brutal beating of a 27-year-old off-duty officer during a robbery in the Bronx early Saturday. Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2025 He was then bound by the wrists and subjected to beatings, electric shock and a hit to the head from a gun. Mark Crudele, ABC News, 27 May 2025 One such incident was a brutal beating at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, which was caught on surveillance video and partly released to the public last year. Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025 And luckily, a lot of the stunts are in the car, so the car has to take the beating. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 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 6 Jun. 2025.

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