downbeat

1 of 2

noun

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

downbeat

2 of 2

adjective

: pessimistic, gloomy

a downbeat assessment

Synonyms

Adjective

• bearish
• defeatist
• despairing
• hopeless
• pessimistic

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

Noun

And the phrases in the singalong chorus generally start on the second beat of a measure, leading to the downbeat of the next bar; thus, they’re built from musical pickups. —Tom Roland, Billboard, 12 Mar. 2025

The outperformance comes as a surprise to many, especially given former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi’s downbeat assessment of European competitiveness just six months ago. —Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Adjective

Along with the downbeat economic prognostications, the Street also is looking to judge the Fed response. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025

The latest data point: Shares in Lululemon on Friday sank sharply in premarket trading after the apparel maker, whose sales zoomed during the coronavirus pandemic, reported a downbeat outlook for this year. —Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for downbeat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

downbeat

noun

down·​beat

ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt

: the downward stroke of a conductor indicating the principally accented note of a measure of music