offbeat

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

An unconventional person, someone who does not follow the beat, who chooses not to conform.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

No one dignified such offbeats by responding to their outcries. Today, the "knockers of progress" have become a force that cannot be ignored.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “offbeat” mean?

An unconventional person, someone who does not follow the beat, who chooses not to conform.

Is “offbeat” formal or informal?

offbeat is generally slang.