downbeat

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Sentiment was decidedly downbeat as the trading week got under way in Asia, which is particularly vulnerable to energy market turmoil as it imports the bulk of its power needs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

When it came to the economy, the prime minister was again fairly downbeat.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Chief Financial Officer Karen Parkhill gave downbeat commentary, citing rising memory costs.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

The Kyrie opens with a strong D-major chord in the large orchestra that seems an obvious downbeat but turns out to be an upbeat.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

My skin crawls, and suddenly what was just a smooth hip-hop song now sounds like heavy conga drums—a downbeat rhythm, like for the Petwo Iwas, the fiery spirits signaling danger ahead.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi