Meanings
nounafterbeat (plural afterbeats)
plural afterbeats
- entertainmentA secondary, weaker half of a musical beat.
He does so by giving the first structural tone an afterbeat comparable to that which follows the second structural tone.
1989, Leonard B. Meyer, Style and music: theory, history, and ideology1 more example
The most distinctive rhythmic feature of ska is a strong afterbeat: a strong, crisp chunk on the latter part of each beat.
2007, Michael Campbell, James Brody, ROCK AND ROLL: AN INTRODUCTION
Synonyms & antonyms
Opposite
Origin
Cite this entry
APA
afterbeat. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/afterbeat
MLA
“afterbeat.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/afterbeat. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “afterbeat,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/afterbeat.
Source: afterbeat on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.