as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst
a downbeat prediction for the company's sales performance in the upcoming year
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in downturn
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of downbeat
Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
There has been a void in downbeat Americana ever since Vic Chesnutt ended his life in 2009.
—David Harris, SPIN, 21 Apr. 2026
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026
There’s precedent — both in the U.S. and internationally — to suggest these downbeat forecasts aren’t hyperbole.
—Greg Iacurci,jessica Dickler, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downbeat
Adjective
In addition to its optimistic baseline projection, the IMF issued a downbeat prediction in the event of a more severe disruption of oil markets that stretches into next year.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
There has been a void in downbeat Americana ever since Vic Chesnutt ended his life in 2009.
—David Harris, SPIN, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
What seems at first like the downbeat eventually dissolves into the track’s spongy matrix of pulses and offbeat accents.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026
There’s precedent — both in the U.S. and internationally — to suggest these downbeat forecasts aren’t hyperbole.
—Greg Iacurci,jessica Dickler, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downbeat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downbeat
Adjective
-
On May 18, Venus will conclude its journey through the flirtatious and thought-provoking sign of Gemini and enter the sentimental and hopeless romantic sign of Cancer.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
-
That reality makes the climb for promising teams like the Magic feel almost hopeless.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The ruling caps a dramatic downturn in the longtime educator’s two-decade career in urban education, according to the Associated Press (AP).—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
The emirate has successfully navigated previous crises, from the global financial downturn to the Covid-19 pandemic, largely through financial strength, infrastructure investment and swift policy responses.—
Melanie Swan,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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To start the second half, Australia captain Henry Hutchison made a try-saving tackle on Tristan Leyds, who was then sin-binned for a cynical foul.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
His social commentary reflected disgust with the unfettered capitalism of the Gilded Age, and his cynical aphorisms became widely quoted.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Shuffield said the slowdown Miami-Dade’s real estate market has seen over the past few years doesn’t worry him, especially when compared to the crash in 2008, when the median home price in the county fell from $380,000 to $150,000.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
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But higher oil prices — particularly if the conflict in the Middle East escalates — or a deteriorating labor market could make the consumer slowdown sharper than currently anticipated.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The share of employers with a pessimistic view of the job market for new grads has been rising every year since 2022.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Eighty-one percent of Gen Z believes AI will reduce job opportunities, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll — more pessimistic than any other generation.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The Lions moved on from veteran offensive lineman Graham Glasgow, a once-reliable player on the downswing of his career, who struggled at center last season.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2026
-
After a little early-2000s time on a downswing, the combo of a pink, translucent base and white tips has become a beautiful no-brainer for so many of us.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For years, radical climate activists have painted a bleak view of the future.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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The bleak, desolate masterpiece from 1989’s Pretty Hate Machine was used to great effect in 1995’s Natural Born Killers, the first film soundtrack produced by Reznor.—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Governance reforms, rising shareholder returns, accelerating share buybacks and the unwinding of cross-shareholdings are helping improve capital efficiency, while the return of inflation after decades of stagnation is boosting nominal earnings growth.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
-
Many professionals mistake stagnation for burnout or job dissatisfaction.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downbeat. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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