beatdown

noun

beat·​down ˈbēt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce beatdown (audio)
Synonyms of beatdownnext
1
US, informal : a violent physical beating
… said his own client was badly hurt in a beatdown by NYPD officers …—Shayna Jacobs
2
US, informal : an emphatic or overwhelming defeat
… he was sitting in his Eugene hotel room, … while absorbing a beatdown in PlayStation 3 boxing from his 10-year-old brother Seth.—Tim Layden

Examples of beatdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lee Johnson, Blake Christian and Jay Lethal helped Ricochet’s stable capture the championships before continuing the beatdown after the match. — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 In their first game after the All-Star break, the Blue Jays set a team record for runs in a 28 - 5 beatdown of the Red Sox. — Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 Perhaps the most striking thing about this savage beatdown is its sweetly melodic backing track. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026 Friday's beatdown was historic on a couple of different levels. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for beatdown

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beatdown was in 1913

Rhymes for beatdown

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Browse Nearby Words

beatboxing
beatdown
beatemest
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Cite this Entry

“Beatdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beatdown. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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