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adj Common

beaten

BEE-tuhn

Beaten (adj) means Defeated or overcome. Example: “The beaten team trudged off the pitch in silence.”

adj
1
Defeated or overcome.
"The beaten team trudged off the pitch in silence."
2
Shaped, thinned, or flattened by repeated hammering.
"The jeweller worked with a sheet of beaten gold."
3
Overused to the point of being unoriginal; clichéd.
"It's a beaten metaphor, but love really is like a rose."

How to use beaten

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDefeated, hammered into shape, or (of an idea) worn out from overuse.

Common pairings
beaten path beaten gold off the beaten track

Word forms

more beaten comparative, most beaten superlative

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Test yourself on “beaten” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ team trudged off the pitch in silence.

Etymology

The past participle of beat, formed by adding -en.

defeated vanquished conquered bested overpowered thrashed

Related words

Rhymes for beaten

See all rhymes for beaten →

Frequently asked questions

What does “beaten” mean?

The word “beaten” means defeated or overcome. In plain terms, defeated, hammered into shape, or (of an idea) worn out from overuse.

How do you pronounce “beaten”?

“Beaten” is pronounced BEE-tuhn (/ˈbiː.tən/ in IPA).

How do you use “beaten” in a sentence?

Here is “beaten” used in a sentence: “The beaten team trudged off the pitch in silence.”

What part of speech is “beaten”?

“Beaten” is an adjective.

Is “beaten” a common word?

“Beaten” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “beaten” have?

“Beaten” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: defeated or overcome.

What is the difference between 'beaten' and 'beat' as verb forms?

'Beaten' is the past participle of 'beat' and is used with a helping verb, as in 'has beaten' or 'was beaten.' 'Beat' is the simple past tense, as in 'yesterday they beat us.' Using 'beat' as a past participle ('we have beat them') is common in informal speech but is considered nonstandard in formal writing.

How is 'beaten' used to describe metal or eggs?

In this sense 'beaten' means shaped, thinned, or mixed by repeated striking, as in 'beaten gold' (hammered thin) or 'beaten eggs' (whisked together). It draws on the idea of working a material through repeated blows.

What is the difference between 'beaten' and 'defeated'?

Both can mean overcome in a contest, and they are often interchangeable ('a beaten team' or 'a defeated team'). 'Beaten' can sound slightly more informal and physical, while 'defeated' is more formal and is common in military or political contexts.

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