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Synonyms

upbeat

American  
[uhp-beet] / ˈʌpˌbit /

noun

Music.

  1. an unaccented beat, especially immediately preceding a downbeat.

  2. the upward stroke with which a conductor indicates such a beat.

adjective

  1. optimistic; happy; cheerful.

    television dramas with predictably upbeat endings.
upbeat British  
/ ˈʌpˌbiːt /

noun

  1. music

    1. a usually unaccented beat, esp the last in a bar

    2. the upward gesture of a conductor's baton indicating this Compare downbeat

  2. an upward trend (in prosperity, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. informal marked by cheerfulness or optimism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of upbeat

1865–70; 1950–55 upbeat for def. 3; up- + beat

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bipasha Sen, founder of Tangible AI, is upbeat though about how fast the tech is improving.

From BBC

The bank is also upbeat on contract research, development and manufacturing organizations, supported by a funding rebound and expanding global capabilities, and on medtech companies as medical equipment procurement recovers.

From The Wall Street Journal

We’re learning in real time just how easy it is for upbeat global financial markets to co-exist with a world in unprecedented turmoil.

From Barron's

We’re learning in real time just how easy it is for upbeat global financial markets to co-exist with a world in unprecedented turmoil.

From Barron's

In one bit of upbeat news, the number of layoffs didn’t rise.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.