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Synonyms

offbeat

American  
[awf-beet, of-, awf-beet, of-] / ˈɔfˈbit, ˈɒf-, ˈɔfˌbit, ˈɒf- /

adjective

  1. differing from the usual or expected; unconventional.

    an offbeat comedian.

noun

  1. Music. an unaccented beat of a measure.

offbeat British  
/ ˈɒfˌbiːt /

noun

  1. music any of the normally unaccented beats in a bar, such as the second and fourth beats in a bar of four-four time. They are stressed in most rock and some jazz and dance music, such as the bossa nova

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

    1. unusual, unconventional, or eccentric

    2. ( as noun )

      he liked the offbeat in fashion
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of offbeat

First recorded in 1925–30; off + beat

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.

An offbeat political thriller, a vampire horror film and a period drama about Shakespeare will go head-to-head Sunday at the BAFTAs, Britain's biggest film awards, setting the stage for the Oscars.

From Barron's

He wrote extensively about the rise of al-Qaeda affiliates in the region and the growing influence of tech and new outsourcing industries while cultivating a taste for offbeat and obscure stories.

From The Wall Street Journal

In awarding Mr. Neil, the Pulitzer board praised his “one-of-a-kind reviews of automobiles, blending technical expertise with offbeat humor and astute cultural criticism.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Even in the face of Hollywood’s timidity, some American independent animators have managed to push their offbeat visions through as features made with limited resources.

From Los Angeles Times

But such is often the case with offbeat detectives.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.