cacophonous

ca·coph·o·nous

adjective \ka-ˈkä-fə-nəs, -ˈkȯ- also -ˈka-\

Definition of CACOPHONOUS

: marked by cacophony : harsh-sounding

— ca·coph·o·nous·ly adverb

Examples of CACOPHONOUS

1. <the cacophonous chaos on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange>

Origin of CACOPHONOUS

Greek kakophōnos, from kak- + phōnē voice, sound — more at ban

First Known Use: 1797

Related to CACOPHONOUS

Synonyms

dissonant, discordant, inharmonious, unmelodious, unmusical, unvocal

Antonyms

harmonious, harmonizing, melodious, musical

Related Words

blaring, clanging, clangorous, clashing, clattering, dinning, grating, harsh, jangling, jangly, jarring, metallic, noisy, raspy, raucous, scratching, screeching, shrill, squeaky, strident; disagreeable, unpleasant, unpleasing; atonal, off-key, tuneless; resounding, sonorous; clamorous, uproarious

Near Antonyms

dulcet, euphonious, mellifluent, mellifluous, mellow, melodic, sweet, tuneful; resonant, sonorous; quavering, trilling, warbling; agreeable, appealing, pleasant; cadenced, lilting, lyric, lyrical, rhythmic (or rhythmical); chordal, harmonic, homophonic, orchestral, polyphonic (or polyphonous), symphonic, symphonious, tonal; calm, hushed; noiseless, quiet, silent, soundless, still

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue

Rhymes with CACOPHONOUS

homophonous