: an unaccented beat or portion of a beat in a musical measure
: different from the ordinary, usual, or expected in usually an appealing way : eccentric, unconventional
an offbeat romantic comedy
… you have to drive through a shallow stream to reach this wonderfully offbeat inn, hiding behind immaculate rows of fruit trees. But it's worth it.—
William Sertl
William SertlLuscious ice cream made fresh daily comes in such offbeat flavors as banana-walnut, chocolate-cherry, and nectarine.—Caroline Bates
Caroline Bates… our profession's deepest and darkest secret—that libraries are a ball to work in and that librarians tend to be rather offbeat and funky people.—Will Manley
Will ManleyExamples of offbeat in a Sentence
Adjective
She has an offbeat sense of humor.
He often plays offbeat characters in his films.
an offbeat approach to teaching
The performance was refreshingly offbeat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
Naturally, no shortage of love triangles, drunken decisions, and roommate squabbles ensue — common comedy tropes that get turned on their heads by Waller-Bridge’s trademark offbeat, razor-sharp comedic instincts.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Oct. 2025
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
The original British cast of Broadway‘s Operation Mincemeat, the offbeat musical embraced by critics and audiences alike, will perform an additional, second show on its final performance date of Sunday, February 22, producers announced today.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offbeat
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 exclusive trailer below will give you a better sense for the mix of the serious, the hilarious, and the offbeat in Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
Naturally, no shortage of love triangles, drunken decisions, and roommate squabbles ensue — common comedy tropes that get turned on their heads by Waller-Bridge’s trademark offbeat, razor-sharp comedic instincts.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
There are no shortage of offbeat homes in these largely middle-class streets.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
The original British cast of Broadway‘s Operation Mincemeat, the offbeat musical embraced by critics and audiences alike, will perform an additional, second show on its final performance date of Sunday, February 22, producers announced today.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offbeat
Cite this Entry
“Offbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offbeat. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
