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
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Trump has frequently criticized both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy but seemed more downbeat once again on the Ukrainian president.
—Steve Holland, USA Today, 14 Jan. 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
Consumers, however, remain downbeat and expect unemployment to rise this year.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Trump has frequently criticized both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy but seemed more downbeat once again on the Ukrainian president.
—Steve Holland, USA Today, 14 Jan. 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 17 Jan. 2026.
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