How to pronounce upbeat
Say it like UHP-beet. Upbeat has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UHP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce upbeat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- UHP
- beet
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Upbeat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- UHPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- beetGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of upbeat
American and British speakers say upbeat in essentially the same way: /ˈʌpˌbit/ in the US and /ˈʌpˌbiːt/ in the UK.
British respelling: UHP-beet.
What does upbeat mean?
- pleasantly (even unrealistically) optimistic
- a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous“the town was finally on the upbeat after our recent troubles”
- an unaccented beat (especially the last beat of a measure)
Where does upbeat come from?
From up- + beat.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying upbeat
How do you pronounce upbeat?
Say UHP-beet. The American pronunciation is /ˈʌpˌbit/. In British English it is /ˈʌpˌbiːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in upbeat?
Upbeat has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UHP). Broken into parts: UHP · beet.
Do Americans and Brits say upbeat the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈʌpˌbit/ and the British form is /ˈʌpˌbiːt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.