Beat vs Pound

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Beat

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

Pound

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 noun

	Beat	Pound
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/biːt/","/biːts/","/ˈbiːtn/","/ˈbiːtɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/biːt/","/biːts/","/ˈbiːtn/","/ˈbiːtɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/paʊnd/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/paʊnd/"]/
Meaning	To hit someone or something repeatedly.	To hit something repeatedly or with great force.
Example	I love to beat the drums in the school band.	The recipe calls for one pound of flour.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A2	A1
Part of speech	verb	noun
Collocations	comfortably, comprehensively, convincingly, at, by, beat somebody into second, third, etc. place, badly, brutally, mercilessly, with, beat somebody about the head, beat somebody over the head, beat somebody to death, fast, frantically, furiously, thoroughly, well, lightly	pound the pavement, pound on the door, pound out a rhythm
Antonyms	lose, fail, give up	ounce, weakness
Common mistakes	Confused with 'beet', the vegetable., Using 'beat' instead of 'beaten' in past tense when describing an action., Mixing up 'beat' with 'meet' when speaking quickly.	Confused with 'pound' as a measure of weight vs. the action of hitting., Incorrectly using 'pound' with inanimate objects when the context suggests a person., Using 'pounding' as a noun when referring to the action instead of the gerund.
Usage notes	The word 'beat' can be used in both physical and metaphorical contexts. It is often used in sports to indicate winning. Avoid using 'beat' in very formal writing; instead, use 'defeat' or 'overcome.'	Use 'pound' when talking about hitting or striking something hard. It's neutral but can be seen as informal in contexts involving physical activities. Avoid using it in formal writing about sensitive topics.

See it in real clips

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

You know I'm going to beat this.

Breaking Bad › S1 E6

I beat the piss out of your mule boy,

Breaking Bad › S1 E7

You got that? Is that sinking in? Now, beat it.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

You know I'm going to beat this.

Breaking Bad › S1 E6

I beat the piss out of your mule boy,

Beat

Frequently asked questions: Beat vs Pound

What's the difference between Beat and Pound?

Beat: To hit someone or something repeatedly. Pound: To hit something repeatedly or with great force.

Which is more advanced: Beat and Pound?

Beat is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Beat and Pound the same CEFR level?

Beat: A2, Pound: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Beat and Pound?

Beat: verb, Pound: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Beat: I love to beat the drums in the school band. Pound: The recipe calls for one pound of flour.

Can I use Beat and Pound interchangeably?

Not always. Beat and Pound are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.