dissonance

noun

dis·​so·​nance ˈdi-sə-nən(t)s 

1

a

: lack of agreement

the dissonance between the truth and what people want to believe

especially : inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one's actions and one's beliefs compare cognitive dissonance

b

: an instance of such inconsistency or disagreement

the mingling of bitter comedy and stark tragedy produces sharp dissonances

—F. B. Millett

2

: a mingling of sounds that strike the ear harshly : a mingling of discordant sounds

especially, music : a clashing or unresolved musical interval or chord

Synonyms

• discord
• friction
• discordance
• strife
• conflict
• discordancy
• dissention
• war
• schism
• warfare
• dissent

Examples of dissonance in a Sentence

the dissonance between what we are told and what we see with our own eyes

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a film that gets under your skin, with the director's sumptuous visuals providing a fascinating dissonance for the darkness within. —Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025

But that emotional dissonance is part of the point. —Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2025

Through all these inconsistencies, absences, dissonances, and contradictions, an overarching coherence emerges. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025

Raven’s marvel of a case study recapitulates the dissonance whereby cycles—political, social, structural, ecological—continue, monuments are created and destroyed and momentum is incited and frustrated, all while costs continue to mount. —Anne Reeve, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see dissonant

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dissonance

• cognitive dissonance

Kids Definition

dissonance

noun

dis·​so·​nance ˈdis-ə-nən(t)s 

: an unpleasant combination of musical sounds

Medical Definition

dissonance

noun

dis·​so·​nance ˈdis-ə-nən(t)s 

: inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one's actions and one's beliefs see cognitive dissonance