Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

offbeat

/ˈɒfbiːt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.77 in modern English

Syllables: off-beat
IPA: /ˈɒfbiːt/

15

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The beats not normally accented in a measure.

noun

An unconventional person, someone who does not follow the beat, who chooses not to conform.

Slang

adj

Unusual; unconventional; not ordinary.

Slang

Example Sentences

"The congregation clapped along on the offbeat."
"No one dignified such offbeats by responding to their outcries. Today, the "knockers of progress" have become a force that cannot be ignored."
"Being an oddball, an offbeat, or a creative person, as Jourard sees the committed professional, is something all nurses should risk."
"In addition to creating a web of stories that will be passed through many generations, these offbeats usually strengthen the fiber of their particular hobby […]"
"He has such an offbeat sense of humor that hardly anyone finds his jokes amusing."

Etymology

From off- + beat; not following the beat (e.g., of a drum that sounds out cadence).

Word Breakdown

Prefix: off

Usage

Slang

Inflected Forms

offbeats (plural) off-beat (alternative) off beat (alternative) more offbeat (comparative) most offbeat (superlative)

Derived Forms

offbeatness

Synonyms

oddball free spirit heteroclite individualist nonconformist outré eccentric deviant deviate maverick misfit offbeat

Rhymes With

street meet st eat complete beat feet sweet heat seat treat meat

Questions

How do you pronounce offbeat?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɒfbiːt/.
What does offbeat mean?: The beats not normally accented in a measure.
Where does offbeat come from?: From off- + beat; not following the beat (e.g., of a drum that sounds out cadence).

How to pronounce offbeat

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “offbeat”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɒfbiːt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “offbeat”.
Repeat and practice — Say “offbeat” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.