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
: pessimistic, gloomy
a downbeat assessment
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
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026
The downbeat for Kapanen is consistency.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
The report puts a downbeat end to an otherwise solid year for shopping activity, with higher-end consumers spending briskly through much of 2025, though those on the lower end of the income spectrum were more cautious.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downbeat
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Noun
What seems at first like the downbeat eventually dissolves into the track’s spongy matrix of pulses and offbeat accents.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026
The downbeat for Kapanen is consistency.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
But the downbeat mood also seemed to reflect the lackluster indie-film business that’s been dogging the festival for years.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
The report puts a downbeat end to an otherwise solid year for shopping activity, with higher-end consumers spending briskly through much of 2025, though those on the lower end of the income spectrum were more cautious.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downbeat
Cite this Entry
“Downbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downbeat. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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