downbeat

[ doun-beet ]

noun

, Music.

1. the downward stroke of a conductor's arm or baton indicating the first or accented beat of a measure.
2. the first beat of a measure.

adjective

1. gloomy or depressing; pessimistic:

   Hollywood movies seldom have downbeat endings.

downbeat

/ ˈdaʊnˌbiːt /

noun

1. music the first beat of a bar or the downward gesture of a conductor's baton indicating this Compare upbeat

adjective

1. informal.
   depressed; gloomy
2. informal.
   relaxed; unemphatic

Word History and Origins

Origin of downbeat¹

1875–80; down ¹ + beat (noun)

Example Sentences

The desolation of Kristofferson's downbeat delivery tells you this song is about much more than a bad hangover.

From BBC

From the first downbeat to the last, audience members danced and bobbed their heads, bearing a resemblance to the nearby ocean.

From Los Angeles Times

The last days of the San Francisco Nordstrom, known for its shoes and its service, were downbeat.

From Los Angeles Times

Polls suggest a majority of Americans have already spent much of the last few years believing the economy is in recession - a downbeat assessment at odds with the country's 2.5% growth last year.

From BBC

Privately - and in some cases publicly - senior Scottish government figures are very downbeat.

From BBC