Phrase guide

beat to the punch

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To carry out an action before another person is able to do so.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • I was planning to take care of the problem for him, but he beat me to the punch and did it himself.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 截胡 — to do something before somebody else can
  • Chinese Mandarin: 搶先 /抢先 (qiǎngxiān) — to do something before somebody else can
  • Chinese Mandarin: 捷足先登 (jiézúxiāndēng) — to do something before somebody else can
  • Finnish: ehtiä ensin — to do something before somebody else can
  • French: devancer — to do something before somebody else can
  • French: prendre de vitesse — to do something before somebody else can
  • French: couper l'herbe sous le pied — to do something before somebody else can
  • French: coiffer au poteau — to do something before somebody else can
  • Hungarian: megelőz — to do something before somebody else can
  • Polish: ubiegać — to do something before somebody else can
  • Polish: ubiec — to do something before somebody else can
  • Polish: uprzedzać — to do something before somebody else can
  • Polish: uprzedzić — to do something before somebody else can
  • Polish: wyprzedzać — to do something before somebody else can
  • Polish: wyprzedzić — to do something before somebody else can
  • Russian: упреди́ть (upredítʹ) — to do something before somebody else can
  • Russian: опереди́ть (operedítʹ) — to do something before somebody else can
  • Spanish: ganar de mano — to do something before somebody else can
  • Spanish: anticipar — to do something before somebody else can
  • Spanish: ganar por la mano — to do something before somebody else can
  • Spanish: adelantarse — to do something before somebody else can
  • Spanish: atrasar — to do something before somebody else can