dissonance

noun

dis·​so·​nance ˈdi-sə-nən(t)s How to pronounce dissonance (audio)
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 dissonancesF. 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Facts are easy to gloss over and dismiss due to cognitive bias or dissonance. John Hall, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025 And yet, that dissonance stirred again: this was ancestral land, yes, but whose ancestors had labored here, and whose still held the deed? Essence, 22 July 2025 Despite these developments, however, dissonance has remained prevalent in their relationship as the Kremlin's attention increasingly turned to Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025 Only the first and last chords in the sequence are solid triads, the rest tinged by dissonance to one degree or another. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissonance

Word History

Etymology

see dissonant

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissonance was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Dissonance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissonance. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

dissonance

noun
dis·​so·​nance ˈdis-ə-nən(t)s How to pronounce dissonance (audio)
: an unpleasant combination of musical sounds

Medical Definition

dissonance

noun
dis·​so·​nance ˈdis-ə-nən(t)s How to pronounce dissonance (audio)
: inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one's actions and one's beliefs see cognitive dissonance

More from Merriam-Webster on dissonance

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