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
: cheerful, optimistic
I'm feeling upbeat today
Examples of upbeat in a Sentence
Adjective
I like a story with an upbeat ending.
I tried to stay upbeat about losing the election.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025
Duchin’s bouncy upbeat belied their experience that love is rarely unadulterated joy.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 29 July 2025
Sliwa, who also ran for mayor in 2021, has been especially upbeat about his prospects this year, though, as the field is more crowded than in a typical local election year.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for upbeat
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
He was born with congenital muscular dystrophy which limits his physical abilities, but not his upbeat, can-do attitude.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025
Duchin’s bouncy upbeat belied their experience that love is rarely unadulterated joy.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
The high-energy Dennen does it all with an upbeat attitude, a breezy charm and an endearing dose of neurosis, much like a Woody Allen character.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 29 July 2025
Sliwa, who also ran for mayor in 2021, has been especially upbeat about his prospects this year, though, as the field is more crowded than in a typical local election year.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for upbeat
Cite this Entry
“Upbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upbeat. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upbeat
1 of 2 noun
up·beat
ˈəp-ˌbēt 
: an unaccented beat in a musical measure
especially
: the last beat of the measure
upbeat
2 of 2 adjective
: optimistic, cheerful
an upbeat story
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share