BEATS Synonyms: 628 Similar and Opposite Words

beats 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of beat

as in licks

to strike repeatedly they attacked and beat him, but fortunately he'll be fine

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Relevance

as in defeats

to achieve a victory over she always beats everyone at checkers, but she's not as good at chess

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as in surpasses

to be greater, better, or stronger than this new animated feature sure beats everything else that's ever been done in animation

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loses (to)

as in throbs

to expand and contract in a rhythmic manner the patient's heart beats roughly 60 times per minute

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as in flutters

to move or cause to move with a striking motion the bird's wings beat strongly as it soared in the air

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as in frustrates

to prevent from achieving a goal you beat me to it

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as in draws

to shape with a hammer the medieval artisans who beat iron into exquisite swords

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as in glows

to shine with a bright harsh light the tropical sun beat down on our heads without mercy

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as in drums

to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically beat the drum in a marching rhythm

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as in confuses

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty it beats me how that slipup happened

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as in circumvents

to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness he spends all of his time trying to beat the system

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as in grinds

to reduce to fine particles years of pounding had beaten the pebbles to a fine dust

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as in plucks

to rob by the use of trickery or threats the screenwriter has filed a lawsuit, accusing the production company of beating him out of his share of the film's net profits

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beats

2 of 2

noun

plural of beat

as in blows

a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument delivered one hard beat on the drums

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as in pulses

a rhythmic expanding and contracting a single beat of the heart is said to be all that separates the vice president from the presidency

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as in rhythms

the recurrent pattern formed by a series of sounds having a regular rise and fall in intensity moved to the beat of the music

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as in heartbeats

a very small space of time within a beat he was on the phone complaining about an error in his bill

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of beats

Verb

Simply put, to stay economically competitive, America needs computing power that matches or beats its adversaries’. — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 The golden saffron panna cotta is an ode in dessert form to my favorite Italian region (and, in my opinion, beats zabaione), while a basil sorbet topping a raspberry mascarpone coupe was a palate cleanser to remember. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026 A bit of Masicka also, but a lot of Denery segment beats mostly. — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2026 Investors often say that time in the market beats timing the market. — Rodrigo Madanes, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Avon Cobourne becomes the fifth Division I-A rusher with four 1,000-yard seasons as West Virginia beats Syracuse 34-7. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 That beats the Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric with Launch Control, which is sure to make for some awkward run-ins around Stuttgart. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026 Brunson beats defenders with skill and not size, relying on footwork, fakes and spins that create angles to get his shot off against taller defenders. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 In our card game, the higher card always beats the lower one. — Dana MacKenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026

Noun

Southwest Airlines reported quarterly beats but lowered full-year guidance. — Jeff Marks,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 On the greatest album of all time, her voice is less affected yet further out of reach, persistently clouded by AutoTune and sometimes submerged under the beats, so only her sibilants break the surface. — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 This all plays out with a lot of frequent jarring tonal mismatches, and some bafflingly overwrought dramatic beats, especially around Vision’s makeshift self-repair. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026 Instead, polskas emphasize the first and third beats, creating a loping sort of feeling. — David Harris, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026 Toliver remembers fifth-grade choir, and the other kids who would get together after class to make beats and rap. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2026 There are different frame rates given it goes from full-speed to slow motion, and it’s timed to the beats of the music, which then have to be played two or three times as fast in order for the actors to properly hit their marks. — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026 For example, if your goal is to maintain a rate of 110 steps per minute, look for playlists that feature songs with tempos around 110 beats per minute (BPM). — Jenessa Connor, HEALTH, 5 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beats

Verb

That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.

— Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of licks

Verb

In the final race of his career, 3-year-old Man O War defeats 1919 Triple Crown winner Sir Barton in a match race, the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
This eventually defeats Other Mommy, leaving the happy family of three intact — even though there’s subtext that Bela will always have a little discomfort around her mother.

— William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of defeats

Verb

Tarrant County saw a dip in early voters on Wednesday, but the number of people turning out locally still surpasses Texas’ last midterm election.

— Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Brady, who has 187 regular-season victories, surpasses Hall of Famer Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning (186) for the most regular-season victories by a starting quarterback in NFL history.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of surpasses

Verb

The big night As a photographer’s shutter clicks, Folger flutters a mascara wand over her lashes while preparing for opening night at the Elysian.

— Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
The flag of Iran flutters in the wind outside of the IAEA headquarters.

— Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of flutters

Verb

Musical Style and Artistic Identity Finesse Gang Polo’s musical identity draws from hip-hop, R&B, and trap, with a connection to the sounds and culture of the American South.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
An on-site doctor’s office draws Fatimah (Noha Foad), an undocumented, illiterate Muslim woman suffering from seizures.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026