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Synonyms

upbeat

American  
[uhp-beet] / ˈʌpˌbit /

noun

Music.

  1. an unaccented beat, especially immediately preceding a downbeat.

  2. the upward stroke with which a conductor indicates such a beat.

adjective

  1. optimistic; happy; cheerful.

    television dramas with predictably upbeat endings.
upbeat British  
/ ˈʌpˌbiːt /

noun

  1. music

    1. a usually unaccented beat, esp the last in a bar

    2. the upward gesture of a conductor's baton indicating this Compare downbeat

  2. an upward trend (in prosperity, etc)

"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. informal marked by cheerfulness or optimism

"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 upbeat

1865–70; 1950–55 upbeat for def. 3; up- + 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.

The upbeat tone was giving a lift to peer stocks as well.

From MarketWatch

The upbeat tone was giving a lift to peer stocks as well.

From MarketWatch

The president was more upbeat than he had been recently, said another person who spoke to him, though he complained about news coverage.

From The Wall Street Journal

His speech was upbeat, defiant and, most of all, confident.

From The Wall Street Journal

"He was upbeat, and he had quite a jovial way about him."

From BBC

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.