miss a beat

phrase

chiefly US : to have difficulty in continuing : to stop or hesitate briefly

—often used in negative constructions

The company changed ownership without missing a beat.

A few minutes later, the power cuts out …, but Achmed doesn't miss a beat; clearly, he's used to this.

—Eric Weiner

Examples of miss a beat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Just three days after surgery to remove one of his kidneys, Miller slowly strolled right in — cane in hand — and took a seat with Council, firing off jokes without missing a beat. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026

By contrast, Feldman said sales and earnings at off-price competitor Ross Stores haven't missed a beat, creating a perception that Ross is taking market share from TJX. — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Without missing a beat, Kevin said his father, Max Micsion, was on the field that night and retrieved the football off the net after Scott Norwood’s infamous kick. — Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026

And so there is some triumph in Zvyagintsev’s very presence here, his ability to carry on his streak of success without missing a beat, despite the obstacles. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for miss a beat

• bittersweet
• incomplete
• indiscreet
• marguerite
• obsolete
• overeat
• overheat
• parakeet
• stillingfleet
• superheat
• amit
• athlete