backbeat

noun

back·​beat ˈbak-ˌbēt How to pronounce backbeat (audio)
: a steady pronounced rhythm stressing the second and fourth beats of a four-beat measure

Examples of backbeat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An insistent backbeat kept Fantasy of a Broken Heart lively and muscular, but the off-center guitars provided an appealingly sour counterpoint that lent a sense of surprise to this group’s version of pop. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025 The lyrics are complemented by a southern rock backbeat and swampy slide guitar that give the whole thing a chill vibe. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2025 The ascent from quiet guitar picking to soul backbeat to power chords feels inevitable but satisfying. Jon Pareles, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 Advertisement What had been the backbeat of a bygone epoch, the waltz amazingly survived in the 20th century. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for backbeat

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backbeat was in 1928

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backbeat. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

backbeat

noun
back·​beat -ˌbēt How to pronounce backbeat (audio)
: a steady pronounced rhythm stressing the second and fourth beats of a four-beat measure

More from Merriam-Webster on backbeat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!