drumbeat

American

[druhm-beet] / ˈdrʌmˌbit /

noun

the rhythmic sound of a drum.

drumbeat British

/ ˈdrʌmˌbiːt /

noun

the sound made by beating a drum

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of drumbeat

First recorded in 1850–55; drum ¹ + beat

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:

drumbeat

A yearlong fashion drumbeat ended not in an American designer, but in Dior Haute Couture, with the billionaire pop star choosing a Jonathan Anderson design.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

Breakdance posse The Rock Steady Crew are introduced with a blast of the Apache drumbeat.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Gibson’s decision to sell didn’t start with a panicked phone call or a drumbeat of client angst.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

Markets are about to be left without the steady drumbeat of earnings.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

I couldn’t explain how to get through, I just followed the strengthening drumbeat and turned where it felt right—and it always was.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023