offbeat

Definition

The beats not normally accented in a measure.

Etymology

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

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."