heartbeat
Americannoun
-
heartbeats
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heartbeat
Explanation
That regular thumping in your chest is your heartbeat, the relaxation and contraction of your heart's chambers that sends blood flowing through your body. You may notice your heartbeat after you've been exercising vigorously, or when something really scares you. It's the rhythmic pulse that can be heard through a stethoscope as your heart works to pump your blood. Figuratively, a heartbeat is also a brief, quick moment, as in "It was over in a heartbeat," or something vitally important, as in "She was the heartbeat of our Girl Scout troop." Heartbeat comes from the "repeated strike of a drum" sense of 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:
The 34-year-old described how, when a nurse broke the news that there was no heartbeat during a scan at six months, their "whole world stopped".
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Gym rats can check their body composition of fat and muscle, people with heart issues can get their heartbeat captured, and mole owners can get their moles mapped to 0.1 mm.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
Everyone in the room grabbed either shakers or a small drum, and with Densmore instructing and conducting, the ensemble conjured what he called the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
One gives rise to structures responsible for essential functions such as breathing and controlling the heartbeat.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
Ella's heartbeat thumped so hard she put a hand to her chest.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Some research has found that consuming them can lead to health problems, including irregular heartbeats and high blood pressure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The study, published in Autonomic Neuroscience, uncovered a striking left-right difference that may one day improve treatment strategies for irregular heartbeats, chest pain, angina, and stress-induced 'broken-heart' syndrome.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
These include when the electrical impulses that regulate heartbeats don't function properly, or when the walls of the heart become inflamed or damaged.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
If left unchecked, dehydration can cause more serious complications, such as fainting and irregular heartbeats.
From Salon ● Jan. 21, 2025
The wordless words of the rosary continued like the heartbeats of birds.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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