offbeat

[ adjective awf-beet, of-; noun awf-beet, of- ]

/ adjective ˈɔfˈbit, ˈɒf-; noun ˈɔfˌbit, ˈɒf- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR offbeat ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

differing from the usual or expected; unconventional: an offbeat comedian.

noun

Music. an unaccented beat of a measure.

Nearby words

off-year election, off., offa, offal, offaly, offbeat, offboard, offcast, offcut, offenbach, offence

Origin of offbeat

First recorded in 1925–30; off + beat

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for offbeat

The women Peterson photographed were offbeat, eccentric, irreverent, and not conventionally pretty.
Gosta Peterson's Bohemian Rhapsody: Unpacking a Photographer's '60s Secrets|Lizzie Crocker|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Shake It Off” and its accompanying music video are all about being a goober and dancing like an offbeat weirdo.
Butts, ‘Bang Bang’ & Beyoncé: The Craziest MTV Video Music Awards Moments|Kevin Fallon|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While there, LeCun was allowed to dabble in some of his offbeat interests, including philosophy.
Soon All Your Best Facebook Friends Will Be Robots|William O’Connor|December 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But Portlandia, which is directed and co-written by Jonathan Krisel, stops short of stunt casting by sticking to the offbeat.
‘Portlandia’: Carrie Brownstein on Season 2 and Its Success|Tricia Romano|January 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST

A staff writer at The New Yorker, Orlean is drawn to offbeat subjects, and she chooses them instinctively.
Must Love Dogs|Adam Auriemma|September 30, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The hour—I am sorry I cannot recall the hour of arrival—but it was, as we say, an offbeat hour.
Warren Commission (7 of 26): Hearings Vol. VII (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy

British Dictionary definitions for offbeat

offbeat

/ (ˈɒfˌbiːt) /

noun

music any of the normally unaccented beats in a bar, such as the second and fourth beats in a bar of four-four time. They are stressed in most rock and some jazz and dance music, such as the bossa nova

adjective

unusual, unconventional, or eccentric
(as noun)he liked the offbeat in fashion

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