beat out
Idioms-
Knock into shape by beating, as in She managed to beat out all the dents in the fender . [c. 1600]
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Surpass or defeat someone; be chosen over someone. For example, He got to the head of the line, beating out all the others . [ Colloquial ; second half of 1700s] Also see beat the pants off .
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beat out of . Cheat someone of something, as in He was always trying to beat the conductor out of the full train fare . [ Slang ; second half of 1800s]
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.
In 2022, U.S. private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, co-founded by now-Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, beat out Chinese companies to take control of a commercial shipyard in Subic Bay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The two beat out thousands of others to score this promotional gig from the job site Indeed and the US broadcaster Fox Sports.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
Sherman, who at 71 has served almost 30 years in Congress, resoundingly beat out Levine by more than 20 points.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Both films beat out more traditional major releases like “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which came in third with $25 million in its second week.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026
Ultimately, Duke beat out NYU and Columbia as my top choice because Duke offered me the most money in academic scholarship funding and they recruited me to be on their fencing team.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
