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Meaning & use

beaten

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈbiːtn/
US/ˈbiːtn/

Meanings

  1. adjectiveafter a verb

    Having lost a contest or been defeated.

    Grammar: Usually follows be or look: the team was beaten; they looked beaten.

    Patterns

    • be beaten by someone
    • feel beaten

    The home team was beaten by a last-minute goal.

    He looked beaten after the long argument.

    Having been beaten twice, they changed their strategy.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Made flat, smooth or hard by being struck repeatedly, or worn down by many feet.

    Grammar: Used before a noun: a beaten path; beaten metal; beaten eggs.

    Patterns

    • a beaten path
    • beaten metal
    • beaten egg

    We followed a beaten path through the long grass.

    The bowl was made of beaten copper.

    Add two beaten eggs to the flour and stir.

  3. adjectiveafter a verb

    Hurt or bruised from being hit, or physically exhausted.

    Grammar: Often after look or seem: he looked beaten and bruised.

    Patterns

    • look beaten
    • be badly beaten

    The boxer, beaten and bruised, stumbled to his corner.

    After the hike we felt beaten and slept for ten hours.

    The victim was found badly beaten near the alley.

Common combinations

off the beaten track
We found a lovely café off the beaten track.
beaten path
The tourists rarely leave the beaten path.
beaten egg
Fold the beaten egg into the batter gently.
beaten at his own game
The chess champion was beaten at his own game.
beaten metal
The artist shaped the beaten metal into a bowl.
look beaten
The team looked beaten before the final whistle.

Synonyms and how they differ

defeated
Defeated is a neutral, slightly formal word for losing, whereas beaten feels more everyday.
worn
Worn applies to surfaces or paths rubbed down by use and does not suggest hitting.
whisked
Whisked is used only for eggs and cream mixed with air, which is narrower than beaten.
exhausted
Exhausted focuses on tiredness alone, while beaten can also suggest defeat.

Opposites

victoriousuntouched

Word family

beat verb
to defeat, to hit, or to mix vigorously
beating noun
a physical attack or a heavy defeat
unbeaten adjective
never defeated
beater noun
a tool for beating, such as an egg beater

Commonly confused: beaten or beaded?

beaten vs beaded

Beaded means decorated with small beads, whereas beaten means defeated or struck, though the words look alike.

Practice

The explorers avoided the busy tourist routes and preferred to travel off the ___ track.

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