backbeat

noun

back·​beat ˈbak-ˌbēt How to pronounce backbeat (audio)
Synonyms of backbeatnext
: 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.
In testing, the ominous backbeat drove the track, while the screeching riffs and vocals stood against it. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026 The album started with quiet wind and then turned into a tornado of thunder and sirens, swordplay and gunfire over big horns and a funky soul backbeat. — Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026 Buzzing melodies of alt-rock drift over midtown and in the places in between—licks, backbeats and inspirations are traded by musicians and producers bar for bar. — Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026 Point spreads and moneylines ran constantly through my head, mingling with the omnipresent Christmas carols to create a strange backbeat to the holiday season. — Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026 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

Rhymes for backbeat

See All Rhymes for backbeat

Browse Nearby Words

back beam
backbeat
backbench
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Cite this Entry

“Backbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backbeat. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

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