upbeat

adjective

Definition of upbeatnext
1
as in cheerful
having or showing a good mood or disposition an upbeat attitude about life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope several upbeat signs that the economy is improving

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of upbeat By the time of my own childhood, in Britain, a century later, the upbeat mantras hadn’t changed. — Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026 Carls pointed out that in the huddle during the timeouts, Campbell stayed upbeat and positive. — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 A day after more mass protests and clashes in Paris, the atmosphere was jovial and upbeat among American football fans attending the NFL's first game in France on Sunday. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Walid Itayim plays a free and funky guitar solo over Sami Shabshab’s slick bassline, but the lyrics pierce straight through the upbeat tune. — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for upbeat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upbeat
  1. cheerful
  2. promising
  3. optimistic
  4. bright
  5. hopeful
Adjective
  • The vibe is of a cheerful — very upscale — Parisian market that’s centered around a section of fruits and vegetables displayed like in a museum.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Jeon is marvelous in the role, allowing flashes of envy, resentment, and longing to surface beneath Mi-ok’s cheerful, accommodating manner without diminishing her warmth or loyalty.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheerful
Adjective
  • Astronomers have cataloged more than 6,000 exoplanets and are examining the atmospheres of promising worlds for gases that could indicate biological activity.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The doubleheader at PeoplesBank Arena showed off the UConn programs in a most promising light.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of promising
Adjective
  • Robert Hughson is feeling optimistic that the river that's formed in front of his house will go away.
    — Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • This year looks especially optimistic for the wardrobe essential, as people are preferring whimsical motifs, colors, and cuts over a simple crewneck or cardigan.
    — Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of optimistic
Adjective
  • An exuberant pre-dawn sky — filled with large, bright stars, a luminous crescent moon, and blue and white swirls — dominates the landscape featuring a prominent cypress tree and distant hillside village.
    — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But the only picture mode that comes close to being that bright also has a notably green bias and ramps up the fan noise to a level that almost anyone will consider intolerable.
    — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of bright
Adjective
  • For those unfamiliar with Fielder’s career or filmmaking approach, his assent to award season hopeful — even frontrunner — has felt like welcoming a strange alien to a planet inhabited by the slick Hollywood establishment.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • By the end, the stage had transformed into a portrait of renewal — a reminder that, even after tragedy, something hopeful can grow.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of hopeful

Browse Nearby Words

up-and-down
upbeat
upbraid
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upbeat. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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