beat one's brain

verb

To struggle to think or remember something.

Meanings

verbbeat one's brain (third-person singular simple present beats one's brain, present participle beating one's brain, simple past beat one's brain, past participle beaten one's brain or (colloquial) beat one's brain)

present singular third person beats one's brain · participle present beating one's brain · participle past beaten one's brain · alternative beat one's brains

  1. idiomaticTo struggle to think or remember something.

    Synonyms: rack one's brain

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo struggle to think or remember something.

Cite this entry
APA

beat one's brain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beat%20one's%20brain

MLA

“beat one's brain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beat%20one's%20brain. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “beat one's brain,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beat%20one's%20brain.

Source: beat one's brain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.