beat
verb (used with object)
to strike violently or forcefully and repeatedly.
was beating
-
past progressiveof beat.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Soon enough, she was beating her old man and learning on her own, scouring videos online for instruction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"I was shocked by what I saw... My heart felt like it was beating outside my chest. I will never forget the worry in our children's eyes."
From Barron's ● Dec. 25, 2025
He said they’d been recommending a “stay-home investment strategy since 2010” and this year started to acknowledge that “go global” was beating the U.S.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 8, 2025
“I woke up, my heart was beating out of my chest,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025
Lyra sat determinedly still, but she was breathing quickly, and her heart was beating hard.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
