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Synonyms

beat off

Idioms  
  1. Repulse, drive away by blows, as in We tried to beat off the flying ants swarming about us. Originating in the mid-1600s in a military context, this term was being used for other activities by the mid-1700s.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The Austrian team beat off competition from reigning European champions Budapest who were on track to win, but ended up in fourth place.

From BBC Sep. 13, 2025

Bradford beat off competition from County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham to be named the UK's City of Culture for 2025 in May last year.

From BBC Jul. 7, 2023

Qatar beat off a challenge from South Korea in October to host the 2023 Asian Cup, using the facilities created for the World Cup.

From Seattle Times Dec. 5, 2022

On a wonky night for UCLA, its defense giving out yardage like Rose Bowl flea market fliers and its offense a beat off its usual rhythm, one thing remained constant.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 13, 2022

“Oh, how nice of you, Mr. Hare. So glad you could join us,” he said sarcastically, as they beat off rats and hurried the Voles along.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

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