beef 1 of 2

noun

ˈbēf How to pronounce beef (audio)
Definition of beefnext
1
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment had to deal with an angry customer with a beef about our service

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in muscle
muscular strength a heavyweight wrestler with a good deal of beef

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

beef

2 of 2

verb

as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely he tends to stand around and beef for hours about any slight, real or imagined

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of beef
Noun
In the aftermath of a September 7, 1996 Mike Tyson fight at Vegas’ MGM Grand, and at the height of the West Coast/East Coast rap beef, Shakur was shot by two rounds in the chest, one in the arm and one in the thigh, while in a car. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 With well over two decades of experience, 50 Cent is well-versed in all things beef. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
Hours after the final bout, he’s scheduled to jet off to the G7 summit in the French Alps for talks with several world leaders he’s been beefing with over war and tariffs. — Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 12 June 2026 Injuries would be a concern, but this is a beefing-up-the-squad signing. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for beef
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beef
  1. whine
  2. muscle
  3. complain
  4. complaint
  5. power
  6. scream
  7. grievance
  8. fuss
Noun
  • Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever dog saw them too and enthusiastically let out a small whine.
    — Kody Lostroh, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The mystic whine of Christine Ott and Mathieu Gabry’s score carries us into a hidden world of ancient Thai deities living inside the mountain’s caves and tunnels.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of whine
Noun
  • Federal physical activity guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening exercise on at least two days.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Legacy Effects made full-size physical references, while ILM developed a digital muscle system and explored movements inspired by elephant seals and sumo wrestlers.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of muscle
Verb
  • Some users have complained on social media that the agent accessed personal messages without authorization, which the company has disputed.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In a 2023 memorandum obtained by Fox News Digital, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, who was then serving as the city council president, said residents complained about rodent infestations during a community meeting.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of complain
Noun
  • In response, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Bar of California asking it to investigate whether Zacharia misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of California law.
    — Jill Colvin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In response, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Bar of California asking them to investigate whether Zacharia misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of California law.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of complaint
Noun
  • Its boosted flat-six engine receives a power bump, and rear-axle steering is now standard, as are larger brakes with six-piston calipers up front.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Europe is now home to some of the most promising companies building clean power, while remaining an expensive place to buy it.
    — Sophie Dembinski, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of power
Verb
  • In June 2016, Blair, who was returning to Los Angeles from a vacation in Cancun, Mexico, began screaming uncontrollably and causing chaos on the flight.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Back in California, Dodgers fans screamed at their television sets.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of scream
Noun
  • The unrest coincided with nationwide demonstrations in neighboring France against rising living costs and in support of high school students’ grievances.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • This comes as a national day of protest over rising costs of living and additional student grievances led to violence in Paris and other major cities today.
    — Tyler Speicher, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of grievance
Noun
  • Save as a collection on MyRecipes Pasta night is always a good idea—especially when dinner comes together with big flavor and minimal fuss.
    — Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2026
  • There’s something classic about a plate of buffalo wings in front of a TV playing football, and this gets you there without any fuss.
    — Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of fuss

Phrases Containing beef

Browse Nearby Words

bee's knees
beef
beefcake
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beef.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beef. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on beef

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beef

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All