offbeat
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of offbeat
Explanation
Anything offbeat is quirky or unusual. An offbeat hair color like magenta will definitely stand out in a crowd of blonds, brunettes, and redheads. This informal adjective is a much more admiring way to say "weird" or "freaky." If your aunt's style isn't like anyone else's, and you love that about her, you can describe her as offbeat. If you love unusual humor and unconventional perspectives, you probably also enjoy offbeat movies and books. Since about 1938, this has been the primary meaning of the word, but earlier it meant "music that doesn't match the beat."
Vocabulary lists containing offbeat
The Last Lecture
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Look Both Ways
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Words to Describe a Movie
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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.
Its brand of gently offbeat Americana is pure comfort-watching.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
His dancing career didn’t really start until he started playing for the Bananas — whose offbeat and entertaining brand of baseball incorporates dancing and other shenanigans — in 2022.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
Onstage, Brian closed his eyes when he sang, swaying slightly offbeat as his wild waves caught the light.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
In Mikula’s view, car buying has become so absurd that what he’s doing makes perfect sense, even if it is a little offbeat.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026
This one happened to be an economist who, instead of thinking grand macro thoughts, favored his own list of offbeat micro curiosities.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
