1
: an unaccented beat or portion of a beat in a musical measure
specifically
: the last beat of the measure
2
: an increase in activity or prosperity
business that is on the upbeat
: cheerful, optimistic
I'm feeling upbeat today
Synonyms
Examples of upbeat in a Sentence
Adjective
I like a story with an upbeat ending.
I tried to stay upbeat about losing the election.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Travelli, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Markets broadly welcomed the upbeat posting, with shares trading nearly 8% up year-to-date and up over 30% in the past 12 months.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for upbeat 
Noun
International surveys show India’s consumers have become the most upbeat anywhere.
—Alex Travelli, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Markets broadly welcomed the upbeat posting, with shares trading nearly 8% up year-to-date and up over 30% in the past 12 months.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for upbeat
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upbeat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near upbeat
Cite this Entry
“Upbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upbeat. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upbeat
1 of 2 noun
up·beat
ˈəp-ˌbēt 
: an unaccented beat in a musical measure
especially
: the last beat of the measure
upbeat
2 of 2 adjective
: optimistic, cheerful
a story with an upbeat ending
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