offbeat

1 of 2

noun

off·​beat ˈȯf-ˌbēt 

: an unaccented beat or portion of a beat in a musical measure

offbeat

2 of 2

adjective

off·​beat ˈȯf-ˈbēt 

: 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

Luscious ice cream made fresh daily comes in such offbeat flavors as banana-walnut, chocolate-cherry, and nectarine.

—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

Synonyms of offbeat

Adjective

• bizarre
• funny
• strange
• weird
• odd
• peculiar
• curious
• eccentric
• erratic
• remarkable
• unusual

Examples 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

Noun

For an indie company that trades on the offbeat, there is perhaps no more prestigious cultural prize in New York. — Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026

Sportsbooks go all out for the Super Bowl, rolling out a huge slate of prop bets that range from the straightforward — passing yards, rushing totals — to the offbeat. — Neil Greenberg, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026

Adjective

Now that the trio is on top, Lucky gets an offbeat romance plot that pairs her with the powerful, game-loving casino owner Max Sugar, played by Fred Armisen. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026

It’s followed by Watts, coming in on drums slightly offbeat, and then Richards, who rips the song open with his five-string open G tuning technique. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1901, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1922, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for offbeat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

offbeat

1 of 2 noun

off·​beat ˈȯf-ˌbēt 

: a musical beat or part of a musical beat that is not accented

offbeat

2 of 2 adjective

: not ordinary : unusual