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
Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
Where is the bar line, where is the downbeat?
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Stock futures pointed to a downbeat open on Wednesday as traders assessed the ramifications of a government shutdown, with Wall Street perhaps looking to other assets for safety — including bitcoin.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downbeat
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Noun
At some point, the film eventually goes through the motions until its inevitable downbeat climax, at which point its dramatic shortcomings become difficult to ignore.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
Where is the bar line, where is the downbeat?
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
There’s been a decidedly downbeat feel to international TV conferences over recent years.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Stock futures pointed to a downbeat open on Wednesday as traders assessed the ramifications of a government shutdown, with Wall Street perhaps looking to other assets for safety — including bitcoin.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downbeat
Cite this Entry
“Downbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downbeat. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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