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 The frantic beating against the locked door in my mind grew louder. Lane Scott Jones, Longreads, 25 June 2024 Reports of weekend violence also include a deadly beating on the West Side and a stabbing on a CTA platform in the Loop. Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2024 Advocates sought, again, for leaders to codify the Juneteenth holiday into law, decades after communities began to push for broader recognition of Juneteenth as an emblem of unity, power and resilience in the wake of the police beating of Rodney King in 1991. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 19 June 2024 The teen, whom the Miami Herald isn’t naming because of her age, is facing a second-degree murder charge in connection to the May 23 deadly beating of 79-year-old Yevheniia Koval. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for beating 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near beating

Cite this Entry

“Beating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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