DIS CORD Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'discord' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of discord are conflict , contention , dissension , strife , and variance . While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism. // a political party long racked by discord

Q: When can 'conflict' be used instead of 'discord'?

The words conflict and discord can be used in similar contexts, but conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires. // the conflict of freedom and responsibility

Q: When is it sensible to use 'contention' instead of 'discord'?

The meanings of contention and discord largely overlap; however, contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy. // several points of contention about the new zoning law

Q: When would 'dissension' be a good substitute for 'discord'?

In some situations, the words dissension and discord are roughly equivalent. However, dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions. // religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Q: When could 'strife' be used to replace 'discord'?

While the synonyms strife and discord are close in meaning, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved. // during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

Q: When is 'variance' a more appropriate choice than 'discord'?

Although the words variance and discord have much in common, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest. // cultural variances that work against a national identity

discord 1 of 2

noun

ˈdi-ˌskȯrd

Definition of discord

as in strife

a lack of agreement or harmony the discord between two of the members threatened to tear our team of researchers apart

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

discord

2 of 2

verb

ˈdi-ˌskȯrd

as in to conflict

to be out of harmony or agreement usually noticeably the evangelist's lavish lifestyle discords with his professed religious beliefs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun discord contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of discord are conflict, contention, dissension, strife, and variance. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When can conflict be used instead of discord?

The words conflict and discord can be used in similar contexts, but conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

When is it sensible to use contention instead of discord?

The meanings of contention and discord largely overlap; however, contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When would dissension be a good substitute for discord?

In some situations, the words dissension and discord are roughly equivalent. However, dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

When could strife be used to replace discord?

While the synonyms strife and discord are close in meaning, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

When is variance a more appropriate choice than discord?

Although the words variance and discord have much in common, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

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 discord

Noun

Psychedelics are inherently chaotic drugs, dissolving the boundary between self and surrounds by sowing discord in the brain. — Mike McRae 19, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026 By the Monitor's Editorial Board In recent years, Africa’s economies have felt a powerful impact from drought, debt, and violent discord. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026 Then came the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and with it, a new era of chaos and discord. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 As the United States marks its 250th anniversary at a time of national discord, Americans are reflecting on the legacy of their country’s history. — Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for discord

Recent Examples of Synonyms for discord

Noun

Bernadette explains the racial nuances the Guardians might not know as newcomers to Earth, echoing the landmark 1971 Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, which attempts to bring the space cops down to Earth by exposing them to racial strife.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Prosecutors believe he was killed because of ongoing strife with his former wife, Shanna Gardner, over the parenting of their twins.

— Ed White, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of strife

Verb

The sometimes-conflicting bids to win sway have also drawn dividing lines among the forum’s members, threatening to derail annual summits.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
The tome is a more experimental offering than traditional fiction, and relies heavily on the conflicting narration from commenters and Agnes’ internal dialogue.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of conflict

Noun

Printing the raw, unedited Q&A provides a completely transparent look at the friction between corporate AI design and power-user expectations.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Latinos Aventureros Co-Founder Sandra Salazar said complaints about trash at Wilson Creek since Hurricane Helene created friction in the area.

— Lily Knoepp, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of friction

Verb

But the move risks clashing with Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s own plans to shrink the Fed’s balance sheet — and with any Fed decision to tighten monetary policy.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Spanish protesters and migrants clashed with police and each other in Ceuta, one month after a horde of over 70,000 Moroccan migrants abruptly swarmed the small Spanish enclave.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of clash

Noun

And so my conversation with Noah centered on the idea of a space where there would be a discordance between what the physical space looked like and what was happening emotionally in that room.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
Part of that discordance might be the fact that as a genre, rock has historically been difficult to define.

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Nov. 2025

Definition of discordance

Noun

Yet, a deep ideological schism remains over what victory for the Islamic Republic should look like.

— Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
This turns into a big argument about Issa being a weird little guy, and suddenly there are multiple potential roommate schisms in the house.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of schism

Noun

The Middle East war and the resulting shipping disruption through the Strait of Hormuz drove up global commodity costs, further squeezing Beijing's own appetite for commodity imports.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Iran says wedding struck Iranians were fearful that the new strikes signaled war could restart at full throttle.

— Kanishka Singh, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of war

Noun

In a footnote to his dissent, Roberts wrote that the underground work on the project – which lower courts had allowed to proceed – addressed the government’s security concerns.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
In fact, dissent within the House’s Republican caucus prevented them from agreeing on their own measure to keep the government open; instead, the House simply adopted a version of the spending bill that had previously passed the Senate.

— John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of dissent

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“Discord.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discord. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of discord

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verb

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