beaten-up

IPA/ˌbiːtn ˈʌp/
IPA/ˌbiːtn ˈʌp/

beaten-up — adjective

1. in a very poor physical state because something has been used a lot or treated r

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

in a very poor physical state because something has been used a lot or treated roughly over time — for example, a sofa with torn fabric and flattened cushions, a car covered in dents and rust, or a suitcase held together with tape.

Example

Farid's beaten-up backpack had a broken zipper and a hole where his pencils fell out.

used before a noun modifying a specific object

The leather sofa in the student lounge looks so beaten-up that nobody sits on it.

look + beaten-up (predicative)

Common collocations
  • beaten-up car
  • beaten-up sofa
  • beaten-up suitcase
  • beaten-up backpack
  • beaten-up shoes
  • beaten-up furniture
  • look beaten-up
  • become beaten-up
  • get beaten-up
  • badly beaten-up
Synonyms
  • worn

    softer and more neutral; can describe objects that show age without looking damaged

  • battered

    very close in meaning; 'battered' emphasises physical hits and knocks, while 'beaten-up' focuses more on overall shabby condition from use

  • dilapidated

    more formal; usually describes buildings or large structures in decaying state

  • shabby

    focuses on appearance that looks poor or neglected; can also describe people's clothing

Antonyms
  • pristine

    in perfect, original condition — the opposite extreme

  • new

    not yet used or worn

  • well-kept

    cared for and maintained despite regular use

Grammar Patterns

beaten-up + noun

be + beaten-up

look + beaten-up

get + beaten-up

Usage Note

Used mainly for physical objects — furniture, vehicles, clothing, appliances. Not used for people (a 'beaten-up person' would sound odd in this sense). The word is informal; in formal writing, alternatives like 'worn,' 'dilapidated,' or 'damaged' are more appropriate.

Common Mistakes

He looked beaten-up after the long flight.
He looked exhausted after the long flight.
'beaten-up' describes objects, not people's tired appearance.
Her shoes were beaten-up and new.
Her shoes were beaten-up and old.
'beaten-up' implies heavy use over a long time, so it cannot describe something new.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something in poor condition, but they differ in tone and what kind of thing they typically describe. 'Beaten-up' is the most informal and suggests a mix of heavy use and rough handling — a beaten-up backpack, van, or sofa looks tired and physically damaged. 'Battered' overlaps closely but emphasises the effects of repeated physical knocks and collisions (a battered car bumper, a battered helmet). 'Worn' is gentler: things can be worn from age and use without looking damaged — think of worn jeans or a worn staircase step. 'Dilapidated' is the most formal and is reserved for buildings, furniture, or structures falling apart from neglect (a dilapidated warehouse). 'Shabby' focuses on visual appearance — clothes look shabby when they are faded, frayed, or patched. In a sentence: 'I bought a beaten-up bicycle for ten pounds — it was battered and rusty, but not yet dilapidated enough to be junk. My worn shoes were still comfortable, even though they looked shabby.'

battered ↗worn ↗dilapidated ↗shabby ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • look beaten-up
  • get beaten-up
  • become beaten-up
  • a beaten-up old [noun]

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed from the past participle 'beaten' (from Old English 'beatan', meaning 'to strike repeatedly') combined with the adverb 'up' to intensify the meaning. The phrasal adjective 'beaten-up' emerged in everyday American speech in the early 1900s to describe objects that looked as though they had been physically struck many times. Over time the meaning broadened from actual physical beating to simply showing the wear and tear of heavy use.