ATONAL Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

atonal

adjective

Definition of atonal

as in tuneless

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of atonal Via new music, staging and projections, the concerts include One Morning Turns Into An Eternity, which examines deep grief and trauma as well as transcendence through atonal and meditative works. — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 17 Mar. 2026 Then, in 2015, the artist Robin Rhode chose Times Square on a Saturday night as the site for his interpretation of a slow-motion, atonal Arnold Schönberg opera. — Rachel Corbett, Curbed, 22 Dec. 2025 Other cuts start as pop songs before crashing into atonal messes and freak rock chaos. — Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025 Riley, a Northern California native, who has always exuded a Zen-like geniality, was part of a generation of young American composers who had turned away from audience-alienating atonal music, which had been proselytized by their teachers in the science-minded postwar academy. — William Robin, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for atonal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for atonal

Adjective

Her aesthetics and tuneless vocals left audiences in awe and laughter.

— Raquel Willis, Time, 19 June 2025
For the rest of us, a real musical comedy is a cause for celebration; most are either too tuneless to be musicals or too dull to be comedies.

— Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

Definition of tuneless

Adjective

There was a lot of work on the medical cases to make the investigations complex and realistic, but there was also an entry point built around a strong, funny, unpleasant character, completely at odds with her return to her roots.

— Roberto Prieto, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Are those seats empty for a neutral reason or an unpleasant reason?

— Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of unpleasant

Adjective

Mistaking being disagreeable with the act of disagreeing is common - especially in unsafe psychological workplaces.

— Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
There are also a lot of people who have never dreamed of being disagreeable in public, much less considered joining a raucous social movement.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026

Definition of disagreeable

Adjective

Forbidden Compass feels bafflingly out of touch and off-key, with the flavor of supermarket own-brand cornflakes.

— Caspar Salmon, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
By 1988, when Phantom debuted on Broadway, the Reagan-era consumer culture and flashy opulence were on their way out, so the ornate, maximalist sets and the lush orchestrations felt off-key to reviewers.

— Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of off-key

Adjective

The team is actively refining the thickness, layout, and aspect ratios of the metallic shells to maximize protection while minimizing weight, a critical factor for rocket payloads.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Evening jackets were everywhere on the fall runways—floor-dusting velvet opera coats, sharp tuxedos, and metallic brocade—while the key occasion dress emerged as a flapper-style drop waist.

— Madeline Fass, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of metallic

Adjective

Assuming the role of a human clapper, Holzinger struck its lip again and again, sending a sonorous peal across the Biennale grounds.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026
In addition to his film, TV and theater work, Yun has also narrated a ton of Korean documentaries over the years thanks to his sonorous voice.

— Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Definition of sonorous

Browse Nearby Words

atoms

atonal

at once

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Style

“Atonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atonal. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of atonal

adjective

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