discord 1 of 2

discord

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verb

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
Trump’s demand for an immediate CEO change provoked a 3% drop in Intel’s stock Thursday, compounding board-level discord and market concerns about the company’s stagnation and loss of ground to rivals such as Nvidia and AMD. Preston Fore, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2025 Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads. April Uchitel, Flow Space, 6 Aug. 2025 The latest disagreement underscores the growing discord between Israel’s military leadership and its political echelon. Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025 Social discord, financial struggles, and conflicts abroad continue to consume our country’s time, energy and resources. Matthew Beddingfield, Scientific American, 2 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for discord
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discord
Noun
  • Meighan has been a target of district parents’ strife as the district uncovers massive spending on board member conference travel, including more than $25,000 spent in 2024 alone, according to a Daily Southtown analysis of district financial records.
    Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Gray’s legal team has noted that his conviction happened at a time of intense racial strife in New Orleans.
    Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In response to these conflicting pressures, legal experts have created three resources to assist companies in designing and defending legal DEI measures.
    Michelle Travis, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • But the detail conflicts with a follow-up interview just days later with the same roommate.
    Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Hidden costs include an 80% failure rate (registration required), data storage, expensive specialized talent and friction points in training cycles that can lead to project abandonment.
    Dr. Jason Corso, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Now Wall Street is taking a breather while optimism about the AI boom is facing some friction.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Anadolu via Getty Images Indonesian shares slumped and the rupiah weakened as anti-government protests in Jakarta intensified, with thousands of workers demanding higher wages and lower taxes clashing with the police near the parliament building.
    Ardian Wibisono, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The approach has even stirred infighting within the GOP, as grassroots Republicans clash with state leaders aligned with powerful business interests.
    Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The sport of off-roading suffers from a fundamental discordance: The desire to get out into nature and the irreparable harm inherent in the process of off-roading.
    Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
  • Many of the tunes including sprawling intros and jam sessions, all melded together with discordance, reverb and instrumental solos.
    Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The Epstein controversy has created a schism between President Donald Trump and his MAGA base.
    Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
  • There remains a wide schism between customer data availability and leveraging customer information to deliver meaningful financial guidance.
    Jody Bhagat, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • This tiny home blends the contemporary architecture of cargo container homes with cozy, beach cottage vibes, adds on a rooftop terrace, and ships straight to your door without the hassle of house-hunting, bidding wars, loan underwriting, and other home-buying speedbumps.
    Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2025
  • There’s been a weapons pipeline – from both Europe and the US – throughout the war, as well as considerable intelligence sharing.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • One of the three judges wrote a blistering dissent.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
  • He has been forced to live like a fugitive due to Hamas' growing crackdown on dissent..
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Discord.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discord. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.

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