beatboxing

American  

[beet-bok-sing] / ˈbitˌbɒk sɪŋ /

noun

1. a musical style or technique, especially in hip-hop, in which the sounds and rhythms of percussion instruments or a drum machine are simulated by using the mouth and voice.

   We heard some amazing beatboxing last night.

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beatboxing British  

/ ˈbiːtˌbɒksɪŋ /

noun

1. a form of hip-hop music in which the voice is used to simulate percussion instruments

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Other Word Forms

• beatboxer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of beatboxing

1985–90, beatbox (verb) + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

“Drop” opens up with bare-bones looped beatboxing before threading in dramatic melody upon layers of synth and howled refrains.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2025

Carter made use of the club’s subwoofers with his flashlight, putting his humorously sharp beatboxing party starter skills on display to test the limits of the Kookaburra’s sound system.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2024

The wisps of rap and folk songs early on, backed by sparse arrangements of acoustic guitar, vocalizations and beatboxing, are more texture than fully realized numbers.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 5, 2023

As drums vanished, the beat leaped into the body and became tap dance, hip-hop, beatboxing.

From Washington Post • Mar. 4, 2022

Some kids stood in a little circle out back, beatboxing and freestyling, inventing brand-new ways of putting one another down and sending up wild cheers when a dig found its mark.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older