as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he tends to stand around and beef for hours about any slight, real or imagined
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of beefing
The reason that Natalie and Kim are beefing is because Kim doesn’t like that Marcus and Natalie are becoming friends.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Democrats and Republicans can't agree on spending measures that would pay federal workers and save safety-net programs from running out of money — while GOP lawmakers are beefing over beef imports.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Grocery behemoth Trader Joe’s and jam giant Smucker are beefing right now.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
Injuries would be a concern, but this is a beefing-up-the-squad signing.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Zach Bryan has pledged to never perform in Kansas City again after once again beefing with Chiefs fans on social media.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2025
Somebody that’s just a walking movie, ’cause even the managers be over there beefing.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
Lyfe Jennings is beefing with Muni Long.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beefing
Verb
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But the same town also was sued in November by Stillson LLC, a company complaining because zoners approved an 8-30g project.—
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From bartenders in Virginia-Highland to servers in Alpharetta, several employees of food and drink businesses reported customers complaining about water that tastes like mildew.—
Verb
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According to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched in November to a residence in the Linville community of Marion after a caller reported a neighbor standing in their driveway screaming and refusing to leave the property despite having been warned previously.—
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Avid viewers of The Studio will appreciate the callback to a watershed episode this season when Ice Cube, as himself, uttered the same to a room filled with screaming fans, causing a fresh headache for Seth Rogen’s backlot boss Matt Remick.—
Verb
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Illinois Republicans have turned whining into an artform.—
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First came Notre Dame whining over missing out on a College Football Playoff invite.—
Cite this Entry
“Beefing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beefing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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