upbeat

noun up·beat \ ˈəp-ˌbēt \

Definition of upbeat

1 :an unaccented beat or portion of a beat in a musical measure; specifically :the last beat of the measure

2 :an increase in activity or prosperity

business that is on the upbeat

Recent Examples of upbeat from the Web

As Joe, the town’s upbeat, no-nonsense sheriff, Kevin Earley has a sunny presence and bright tenor voice, and Maggie Carney offers welcome comic relief as the town gossip and postmistress Effy, who gradually warms to Percy’s charms.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "'Spitfire Grill' at North Coast Rep showcases voices of talented cast," 4 June 2017
As the illustrious group mingled with investors over cocktails, the hedge fund managers, who collectively command hundreds of billions of dollars on behalf of institutions and individuals, were for the most part upbeat.

— anita raghavan, New York Times, "Hedge Funds Avoided Big Losses Despite ‘Brexit’ Shock," 17 Aug. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'upbeat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of upbeat

1869

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, refrain, riff, segue

upbeat

adjective

Definition of upbeat

:cheerful, optimistic

I'm feeling upbeat today

See upbeat defined for English-language learners

Examples of upbeat in a Sentence

I like a story with an upbeat ending.
I tried to stay upbeat about losing the election.

Recent Examples of upbeat from the Web

The mood created by the Monterey-area auctions, which typically set the tone of the market for the rest of the year and perhaps beyond, was far more upbeat than had generally been expected.

— rob sass, New York Times, "Bidding Before California Car Show Suggests Collectible Market Is Healthy," 24 Aug. 2017
Despite its problems, however, India remains upbeat, hopeful, looking forward to greater success and productivity.

— pradheep j. shanker, National Review, "India at 70: The Asian Tiger Rising," 15 Aug. 2017
Orders fell 4.7 percent from the previous quarter in April-June, suggesting demand is weaker than expected, though economists say the outlook for coming months is more upbeat.

— yuri kageyama, The Seattle Times, "Asian stocks mostly lower on growing unease over North Korea," 10 Aug. 2017
Creativity and motivation aside, studies have also shown that on the whole, negative thinking — the hallmark of a highly neurotic person — negatively influences health, whereas happiness and upbeat thinking are positive influences.

— cody delistraty, The Cut, "Being Neurotic May Help You Live Longer," 8 Aug. 2017
Instead, the Ellicott City square dance club introduced the instructional, upbeat dance to dozens of fairgoers, beginners and veterans alike.

— andrew michaels, Howard County Times, "Square dancing keeps crowd swinging at Howard County Fair," 6 Aug. 2017
The president’s appointment of David Shulkin, who had run the veterans’ health program under Obama, to lead the agency, has Coleman feeling a lot more upbeat about his job.

— lisa rein, Washington Post, "Trump’s stark priorities in funding and cutting are keenly felt by federal workforce," 19 July 2017
Xiaoice, an upbeat chatbot operated by Microsoft, now has more than 100m Chinese users.

— The Economist, "The algorithm kingdomChina may match or beat America in AI," 15 July 2017
The better mood is a key reason central banks are adopting a more hawkish tone, or at least a more upbeat one, after years of pumping cheap money into their economies.

— enda curran, Bloomberg.com, "Global Trade Rebounds Despite Trump’s Protectionist Threats," 5 July 2017