# beat down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/beat-down
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to shine very strongly and make you feel hot and tired.

For teachers: to radiate intense heat and light upon a surface or person; typically used with the sun as the subject to describe oppressive weather conditions.

## Examples

- The sun is beating down on us today.
- We had to find some shade because the midday sun was beating down on the desert sand.
- As the tropical sun continued to beat down relentlessly, the hikers found their water supplies dwindling faster than anticipated.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The sun beat down us." but "The sun beat down on us." — this sense of the phrasal verb requires the preposition 'on' to connect the action to the person or thing affected.

## Usage notes

- usually used in the continuous form with 'on' followed by a person or place.
- Teaching tip: focus on the 'oppressive' quality of the action; it is rarely used for a pleasant, warm sun, but rather one that feels like an attack.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.