Standard Lemma guide

upbeat

adj · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ʌpˈbit/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːt
  • /ˈʌpˌbit/
  • CMU ARPABET: AH1 P B IY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The notes are easy, but it's an upbeat tune and should be played fairly quickly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Though he had bad news, he ended with an upbeat forecast for the future.
  • He sounded upbeat when I talked to him.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An unaccented beat at the start of a musical phrase.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The conductor said: I give you three beats for nothing and then you come in on the upbeat.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

pleasantly (even unrealistically) optimistic

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cheerful, pollyannaish

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

an unaccented beat (especially the last beat of a measure)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: offbeat

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rhythm, beat, musical rhythm

6

noun

Meaning 6

a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the town was finally on the upbeat after our recent troubles

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wellbeing, well-being, welfare, eudaemonia, eudaimonia

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prosperity, successfulness

Narrower terms: fool's paradise, health, wellness

History

Etymology

From up- + beat.

Across languages

Translations

47 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: nopeatempoinen — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Finnish: nopea — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • French: entraînant — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • German: peppig — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • German: aufgedreht — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Hungarian: gyors — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Hungarian: sebes — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Hungarian: szapora — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Hungarian: (describing a type of csárdás) friss — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Hungarian: pörgős — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Japanese: アップビートの (appubīto no) — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Russian: быстрый (bystryj) — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Swedish: livad — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Swedish: upptempo — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Turkish: vurgusuz tempolu — Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat
  • Bulgarian: оптимистичен (optimističen) — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Finnish: myönteinen — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Finnish: optimistinen — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • French: optimiste — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • German: fröhlich — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • German: optimistisch — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • German: heiter und zuversichtlich gestimmt — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Hungarian: vidám — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Hungarian: jókedvű — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Hungarian: derűlátó — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Hungarian: optimista — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Japanese: 明るい (akarui) — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Japanese: アップビートの (appubīto no) — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Kazakh: сейдін (seidın) — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Kazakh: көтеріліңкі (köterılıñkı) — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Romanian: optimist — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Russian: жизнера́достный (žiznerádostnyj) — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Russian: бо́дрый (bódryj) — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Spanish: optimista — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Spanish: positivo — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Swedish: munter — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Swedish: positiv — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Swedish: upprymd — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Swedish: uppspelt — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Swedish: uppåt — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Swedish: pigg — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Turkish: iyimser — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • Turkish: neşeli — Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
  • French: levé — unaccented beat at the start of a musical phrase
  • German: Auftakt — unaccented beat at the start of a musical phrase
  • Greek: άρση (ársi) — unaccented beat at the start of a musical phrase
  • Russian: затакт (zatakt) — unaccented beat at the start of a musical phrase