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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
Jonny Greenwood’s score moves between soaring strings and dissonant piano keys, alternately soothing and anxious; a few pieces composed by Jon Brion add an ambient layer of wistfulness.
—
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Jonny Greenwood’s score moves between soaring strings and dissonant piano keys, alternately soothing and anxious; a few pieces composed by Jon Brion add an ambient layer of wistfulness.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
As someone who built her career by upending traditional dynamics and giving women more control over their interactions online, having no say in how her own story is told feels dissonant.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Better-than-forecast retail sales for August out Tuesday contributed a sturdy reading to a dissonant set of macroeconomic signals.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dissonant
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Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Jonny Greenwood’s score moves between soaring strings and dissonant piano keys, alternately soothing and anxious; a few pieces composed by Jon Brion add an ambient layer of wistfulness.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
As someone who built her career by upending traditional dynamics and giving women more control over their interactions online, having no say in how her own story is told feels dissonant.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Better-than-forecast retail sales for August out Tuesday contributed a sturdy reading to a dissonant set of macroeconomic signals.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dissonant
Cite this Entry
“Dissonant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissonant. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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