noun
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music
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a usually unaccented beat, esp the last in a bar
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the upward gesture of a conductor's baton indicating this Compare downbeat
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an upward trend (in prosperity, etc)
adjective
Etymology
Origin of upbeat
1865–70; 1950–55 upbeat for def. 3; up- + beat
Explanation
If you tend to be cheerful and positive no matter what's going on, your friends probably describe you as upbeat. When your soccer coach wants to be encouraging, she gives the team an upbeat speech. Need to cheer yourself up? Spend some time with an upbeat friend, watch an upbeat movie, or listen to some upbeat music. This informal adjective comes from the word's original musical meaning, "the beat of a bar at which the conductor's baton is in a raised position." Music writers in the 1940s used the slang phrase "on the upbeat" to mean "getting better." The "cheerful" meaning followed around 1947.
Vocabulary lists containing upbeat
Cindy Williams (1947–2023) Tribute List
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Louisiana’s Way Home
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Zara's Rules for Record-Breaking Fun
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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.
Intel has recently cut a series of chip deals that have both investors and Wall Street more upbeat about the future of its foundry business.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
The man heading the US delegation, Vice President JD Vance, is also sounding upbeat.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
He was particularly upbeat about working with Kaczmarek: “When I saw Jane, it was like I was with my mom again and no time had passed.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
“While we remain upbeat about Broadcom’s core business, we see further upside as capped by rising industry constraints,” he says, questioning the ability for the company’s announced deployments to meet the planned timelines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
“But she wasn’t a negative person. She didn’t bring down the mood of the group. She was energetic and upbeat almost every day.”
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
