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
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The film’s downbeat ending shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with Denis’ movies, which have always leaned toward tragedy, especially when the action has been set in Africa.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Fred Imbert, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
To put it bluntly, Alien can be downbeat material.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downbeat
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Noun
Where is the bar line, where is the downbeat?
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The film’s downbeat ending shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with Denis’ movies, which have always leaned toward tragedy, especially when the action has been set in Africa.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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
To put it bluntly, Alien can be downbeat material.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 22 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2025.
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