downbeat
Americannoun
-
the downward stroke of a conductor's arm or baton indicating the first or accented beat of a measure.
-
the first beat of a measure.
adjective
noun
adjective
-
informal depressed; gloomy
-
informal relaxed; unemphatic
Etymology
Origin of downbeat
Vocabulary lists containing downbeat
Music - Middle School
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Music - High School
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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.
The firm noted that downbeat expectations “in a year of unusually sharp upward revisions, weigh on shares, reducing hope that shares will rebound before year end.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026
Asked if the end of the war in Ukraine could bring that about, Hoppe was downbeat.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
Although near-term growth expectations are downbeat, Nike’s fortunes appear to be turning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Still, Macquarie was downbeat about its all-in sustaining costs in 4Q and higher FY27 capex.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Their vast wings seemed slow, but they flew fast, each downbeat driving them mightily through the air.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
