down·beat
ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt 
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
: pessimistic, gloomy
a downbeat assessment
Synonyms
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
Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024
Long periods go by where Fishman doesn’t hit the downbeat.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vulture, 12 July 2024
Michael Cox, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Investor sentiment could turn for the better Not everyone was as downbeat on the market implications of South Korea’s unfolding political drama.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for downbeat 
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Noun
The trio’s sixth record is charmingly irritable in both of its moods: hopped up on fluffy coffee while cracking baseball jokes, or dragging out downbeats and lamenting power structures to goad listeners with mounting anticipation.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024
Long periods go by where Fishman doesn’t hit the downbeat.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vulture, 12 July 2024
Adjective
The results could be spectacular, and depending on which team triumphs, one of the post-match interviews might be particularly downbeat.
—Michael Cox, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Investor sentiment could turn for the better Not everyone was as downbeat on the market implications of South Korea’s unfolding political drama.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for downbeat
Dictionary Entries Near downbeat
Cite this Entry
“Downbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downbeat. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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