discordant

adjective

dis·​cor·​dant di-ˈskȯr-dᵊnt 

1

a

: being at variance : disagreeing

discordant opinions

b

: quarrelsome

a discordant family

2

music : relating to a discord (see discord entry 1 sense 2)

a discordant tone

discordantly adverb

Did you know?

Discord, a word more common in earlier centuries than today, means basically "conflict", so discordant often means "conflicting". The opinions of Supreme Court justices are frequently discordant; justices who disagree with the Court's decision usually write a dissenting opinion. Discordant is often used with a somewhat musical meaning, suggesting that a single wrong note or harmony has been heard in the middle of a performance—even though musical words such as chord actually come from a different Latin word, meaning "cord" or "string" (a reference to the strings of ancient instruments such as the lyre).

Synonyms of discordant

• shrill
• dissonant
• noisy
• inharmonious
• cacophonous
• metallic
• unpleasant
• unmusical

Examples of discordant in a Sentence

She has the difficult task of bringing together a number of discordant elements.

discordant tones coming from the poorly tuned instrument

Recent Examples on the Web

Candidates also say the interim mayor must return order to meetings, which have become increasingly discordant as the public interrupts proceedings and occasionally hurls pointed insults at council members. —Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2026

Some critics view gladiatorial displays of violence as inappropriate for a historic anniversary and complain that the spectacle hits a discordant note amid war in Iran and rising prices. —Zac Anderson, USA Today, 12 June 2026

Loesser’s score is ambitious and diverse, with a discordant duet by Joe and Rosabella, lively Neapolitan-style songs by the Italian vineyeard workers, a beautifully harmonized barbershop quartet and some classic Broadway belter songs. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026

This is a talented ensemble unable to show off those talents because they’re all reduced to instruments that play only two discordant notes. —Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

see discord entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for discordant

• accordant
• concordant
• mordant

Kids Definition

discordant

adjective

dis·​cord·​ant

dis-ˈkȯrd-ᵊnt

1

a

: not being in agreement

discordant opinions

b

: quarrelsome

a discordant family

2

: relating to or producing a discord

discordant music

discordantly adverb

Medical Definition

discordant

adjective

dis·​cor·​dant dis-ˈkȯrd-ᵊnt 

of twins

: dissimilar with respect to one or more particular characters compare concordant

discordance

-ᵊn(t)s 

noun