upbeat

[ uhp-beet ]

noun

, Music.

1. an unaccented beat, especially immediately preceding a downbeat.
2. the upward stroke with which a conductor indicates such a beat.

adjective

1. optimistic; happy; cheerful:

   television dramas with predictably upbeat endings.

upbeat

/ ˈʌpˌbiːt /

noun

1. music
   1. a usually unaccented beat, esp the last in a bar
   2. the upward gesture of a conductor's baton indicating this Compare downbeat
2. an upward trend (in prosperity, etc)

adjective

1. informal.
   marked by cheerfulness or optimism

Word History and Origins

Origin of upbeat¹

1865–70; 1950–55 upbeat fordef 3; up- + beat

Example Sentences

And despite the good scholarship the authors have managed to retain the buoyancy and upbeat air attendant on most comics.

From The Daily Beast

Walking around Freetown as he speaks to me on the phone, the typically upbeat Pratt sounds frustrated.

From The Daily Beast

The simultaneously upbeat and sentimental ode to friendship is equal parts funk, trance, pop, and R&B.

From The Daily Beast

He is determined to fulfill his mission of Christian charity, it appears, and he remains resolutely upbeat.

From The Daily Beast

If anything, they suggest that Funke was feeling upbeat, rather than beaten down by her critics.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• buoyant
• cheery
• encouraging
• happy
• hopeful
• optimistic
• positive
• rosy
• sanguine