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.
It suggests, if I may be so bold, an upbeat and calm frame of mind that will stand you in good stead during this process.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
Kross says she stayed upbeat and impressed a regional manager who helped fast-track her rise to director of reporting and analytics for the gym chain.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
OCBC’s recent strong results and DBS’s upbeat guidance could also be supporting the lenders’ shares.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
More than 80% of companies in the S&P 500 have delivered upbeat earnings surprises, with an average growth rate of nearly 28%—the highest since the end of 2021, according to FactSet.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
I managed to stay upbeat when we explored the town and ate lunch together as a family.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
