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Synonyms

offbeat

American  
[awf-beet, of-, awf-beet, of-] / ˈɔfˈbit, ˈɒf-, ˈɔfˌbit, ˈɒf- /

adjective

  1. differing from the usual or expected; unconventional.

    an offbeat comedian.

noun

  1. Music. an unaccented beat of a measure.

offbeat British  
/ ˈɒfˌbiːt /

noun

  1. 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

"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. unusual, unconventional, or eccentric

    2. ( 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

Etymology

Origin of offbeat

First recorded in 1925–30; off + 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.

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

An offbeat political thriller, a vampire horror film and a period drama about Shakespeare will go head-to-head Sunday at the BAFTAs, Britain's biggest film awards, setting the stage for the Oscars.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

The idea that led to this project began when a Mayo Clinic graduate student shared an offbeat thought during a casual discussion with a classmate.

From Science Daily • Dec. 14, 2025

The show is based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2000 offbeat play about a teenager with a condition that causes rapid aging.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

But even his taste in music is offbeat.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

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.