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The root of "dissonant" is the Latin verb sonare. Can you guess what "sonare" means? Here's a hint: some related derivatives are "sonata," "supersonic," and "resonance." Does it sound to you as if "sonare" has something to do with sound? If so, you're right. In fact, sonare means "to sound, is related to the Latin noun sonus (meaning "sound"), and is an ancestor of the English word sound. "Dissonant" includes the negative prefix dis-. What is "dissonant," therefore, sounds inharmonic, conflicting, or clashing.
Examples of dissonant in a Sentence
a dissonant chorus of noises arose from the busy construction site
Recent Examples on the Web
The crowd sings the chorus in dissonant harmony.
—
Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
A little past the halfway point, a heavy drumbeat crashes in and their voice distorts into screams and screeches, transforming the song from folk lament to dissonant protest.
—Nia Coats, Pitchfork, 18 May 2026
Eisenberg plays a lot of acoustic guitar, sticks mostly to normie chords, and largely avoids dissonant tangles, opting for a bright, translucent sound.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Apr. 2026
The contrast of the narrative established by the plates is comparable to jazz music, with its rhythm and repetition broken up by unexpected and sometimes dissonant improvisations, the Art Institute said.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
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Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
A little past the halfway point, a heavy drumbeat crashes in and their voice distorts into screams and screeches, transforming the song from folk lament to dissonant protest.
—Nia Coats, Pitchfork, 18 May 2026
Eisenberg plays a lot of acoustic guitar, sticks mostly to normie chords, and largely avoids dissonant tangles, opting for a bright, translucent sound.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Apr. 2026
The contrast of the narrative established by the plates is comparable to jazz music, with its rhythm and repetition broken up by unexpected and sometimes dissonant improvisations, the Art Institute said.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissonant
Cite this Entry
“Dissonant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissonant. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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