upbeat

[ uhp-beet ]
/ ˈʌpˌbit /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR upbeat ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Music.

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

adjective

optimistic; happy; cheerful: television dramas with predictably upbeat endings.

Origin of upbeat

1865–70; 1950–55 for def 3; up- + beat

Words nearby upbeat

upanishad, upanishads, upas, upaya, upbear, upbeat, upbound, upbraid, upbraiding, upbringing, upbuild

Words related to upbeat

positive, sanguine, encouraging, hopeful, rosy, buoyant, cheery, happy, optimistic, favorable, fond, promising, heartening

Example sentences from the Web for upbeat

British Dictionary definitions for upbeat

upbeat
/ (ˈʌpˌbiːt) /

noun

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

adjective

informal marked by cheerfulness or optimism