offbeat
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of offbeat
Explanation
Anything offbeat is quirky or unusual. An offbeat hair color like magenta will definitely stand out in a crowd of blonds, brunettes, and redheads. This informal adjective is a much more admiring way to say "weird" or "freaky." If your aunt's style isn't like anyone else's, and you love that about her, you can describe her as offbeat. If you love unusual humor and unconventional perspectives, you probably also enjoy offbeat movies and books. Since about 1938, this has been the primary meaning of the word, but earlier it meant "music that doesn't match the beat."
Vocabulary lists containing offbeat
The Last Lecture
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Look Both Ways
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Words to Describe a Movie
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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.
In this week’s episode of The Envelope podcast, we kick off Emmy season with Carrie Preston, who plays an offbeat investigator in Robert and Michelle King’s “Columbo”-inspired comedy “Elsbeth.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
Onstage, Brian closed his eyes when he sang, swaying slightly offbeat as his wild waves caught the light.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
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 • Feb. 22, 2026
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 • Feb. 19, 2026
But even his taste in music is offbeat.
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
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.
