downbeat

1 of 2

noun

down·​beat ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt 

1

: the downward stroke of a conductor indicating the principally accented note of a measure of music

also : the first beat of a measure

2

: a decline in activity or prosperity

downbeat

2 of 2

adjective

: pessimistic, gloomy

a downbeat assessment

Synonyms

Adjective

• hopeless
• cynical
• pessimistic
• bleak
• despairing
• depressing
• negative

Examples of downbeat in a Sentence

Adjective

a downbeat prediction for the company's sales performance in the upcoming year

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The market’s downbeat start to the week follows a strong run for stocks, which pushed further into record heights last week after a better-than-expected U.S. jobs report. —Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025

The album is almost entirely instrumental, featuring a polyphonic blend of percussion, strings, keyboards, synths, and woodwinds, with André’s flute driving the downbeat. —Ime Ekpo, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025

Adjective

Sometimes, anime’s purest bursts of kinetic excitement pop off in otherwise downbeat films, or at random in shows seemingly uninterested in action. —Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025

Lily, as played by Sophia Hammons, has a distinctive snappish downbeat British-princess personality; some of it is her accent, some of it her entitled ‘tude. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for downbeat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

downbeat

noun

down·​beat

ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt

: the downward stroke of a conductor indicating the principally accented note of a measure of music