downbeat

1 of 2

noun

down·​beat ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt How to pronounce downbeat (audio)
1
: the downward stroke of a conductor indicating the principally accented note of a measure of music
also : the first beat of a measure
2
: a decline in activity or prosperity

downbeat

2 of 2

adjective

: pessimistic, gloomy
a downbeat assessment

Examples of downbeat in a Sentence

Adjective a downbeat prediction for the company's sales performance in the upcoming year
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
China’s October trade data is due Thursday after downbeat exports and imports growth in September. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024 The cut in guidance and the downbeat results appear to be unrelated to the demand, which remains high for its obesity drug. Trefis Team, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Financials also were underperformers, up roughly 0.6% this week, after a brutal session Tuesday in reaction to a downbeat update on interest income from JPMorgan’s chief operating officer at a conference. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Sep. 2024 The downbeat camp decries these guides as a sure sign that the working world has gone awry. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for downbeat 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downbeat was in 1766

Dictionary Entries Near downbeat

Cite this Entry

“Downbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downbeat. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

downbeat

noun
down·​beat
ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt
: the downward stroke of a conductor indicating the principally accented note of a measure of music
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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