Phrasal verb
beat out
Definition
phrasal verb. to win a competition or get a job by being slightly better than other people.
phrasal verb. to defeat a competitor or rival, often by a narrow margin, in order to secure a specific prize, position, or advantage.
Examples
“She beat out three other candidates for the job.”
“Our company managed to beat out the local competition to win the government contract.”
“The small independent film unexpectedly beat out several big-budget blockbusters to take home the top prize at the festival.”
Examples
simple
“She beat out three other candidates for the job.”
contextual
“Our company managed to beat out the local competition to win the government contract.”
complex
“The small independent film unexpectedly beat out several big-budget blockbusters to take home the top prize at the festival.”
Usage
usually followed by a person, a group, or a rival company as the object.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'beat' (general winning) by explaining that 'beat out' emphasizes the selection process or a race where many people wanted the same single thing.
Pitfall
He beat out to his brother.
He beat out his brother.
do not use 'to' after the phrase; the person or group you defeat is the direct object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
beat + out + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/beat-out