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
F. B. Millett2
: 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
The dissonance mirrors the film’s loopy approach to Grace.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
The dissonance between their bacchanalian ritual and Adelaida’s silent, solitary suffering is marked, and the disrespect for the dead further underlined when a gravedigger tersely shoos her away from the graveside, reminding her that the area is unsafe, especially at nightfall.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
It’s driven by dissonance, by collapse, by moments of rupture that force entirely new structures of being to emerge.
—Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for dissonance
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Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
The dissonance between their bacchanalian ritual and Adelaida’s silent, solitary suffering is marked, and the disrespect for the dead further underlined when a gravedigger tersely shoos her away from the graveside, reminding her that the area is unsafe, especially at nightfall.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
It’s driven by dissonance, by collapse, by moments of rupture that force entirely new structures of being to emerge.
—Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for dissonance
Cite this Entry
“Dissonance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissonance. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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