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
Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Despite seemingly endless downbeat news about green investments worldwide, global spending on the energy transition reached a record $2.3 trillion last year — and has further yet to go: That’s according to BloombergNEF research published this week.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 27 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The Kyrie opens with a strong D-major chord in the large orchestra that seems an obvious downbeat but turns out to be an upbeat.
—Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Despite seemingly endless downbeat news about green investments worldwide, global spending on the energy transition reached a record $2.3 trillion last year — and has further yet to go: That’s according to BloombergNEF research published this week.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 27 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 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
