discordant

adjective

di-ˈskȯr-dᵊnt How to pronounce discordant (audio)
Definition of discordantnext
1
as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds discordant tones coming from the poorly tuned instrument

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2
as in noisy
making loud, confused, and usually unharmonious sounds the discordant cries of gulls fighting over the fishing boat's castoffs

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3
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight a troubled, discordant family that would benefit from professional counseling

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4
as in conflicting
not being in agreement or harmony his views on the proper role of diet in maintaining good health are certainly discordant with most contemporary opinions on the subject

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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 discordant Alongside my memories of sylvan bliss lurk the discordant effects of terrible violence in a place that almost never sees it. — Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 The excellent quartet carries a dose of Nineties alt-rock, while Williams’ vocals sink into the potent lyrics and discordant, dreamy instrumentals. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2026 Above all, the overwrought thirty-two-dollar packet of luxury strikes a discordant note in a restaurant that seems, in every other way, to have no need for such clunky signifiers. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 26 July 2026 In their third and final decade as one of America’s greatest bands, Sonic Youth had all but given up on pushing their discordant art rock into the mainstream. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for discordant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discordant
  1. shrill
  2. noisy
  3. aggressive
  4. conflicting
  5. dissonant
  6. militant
  7. inconsistent
  8. inharmonious
Adjective
  • With a soprano voice that’s sharp but never shrill, O’Donovan can levitate a heartfelt melody over just about any kind of accompaniment.
    — Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
  • When Caleb Hammer, a thirty-one-year-old personal-finance YouTuber, gets particularly exasperated, his voice enters a shrill upper register.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of shrill
Adjective
  • The focus was how AI can be integrated and optimize the existing business – rather than presentation of noisy (and controversial) slates of AI TV shows and movies.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Kerry McCoy’s guitar juices up a mid-song gallop by abruptly pivoting from big and noisy to compressed and snarling; at the climax, everything cuts out for a second to spotlight a Daniel Tracy drum fill.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • While Chelsea tend to retreat after taking the lead, their opponents also become more aggressive in response, committing extra bodies forward and helping to create more open, end-to-end encounters.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The acquisition comes after the distributor’s founder and then-CEO, Andrew Karpen, died from an aggressive form of brain cancer at the age of 59 in May 2025.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • Standing between the jury and a verdict are scores of hours of conflicting testimony, bitter recriminations, and a vast trove of unfiltered texts exchanged by two brilliant scientists.
    — Chris Serres — Boston Globe, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The conflicting signals have complicated the expectations game regarding the Federal Reserve's next move.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of conflicting
Adjective
  • In a film, that’s where the music would come up, dissonant strings, ringing ears, the drums increasing tempo.
    — Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The score was such a beautiful, odd, dissonant piece of work.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of dissonant
Adjective
  • The Israeli military said the munition was believed to belong to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Oct. 2026
  • In recent months, some militant settlers are ramping up their campaign to violently drive out the Palestinians who live there -- often with impunity -- the Israeli government showing an unwillingness to crack down on the violence.
    — Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • More problematic was the character’s heritage; he’s supposed to be half-English and half-Paraguayan, and to say Gere’s accent is inconsistent would be charitable.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Packers have been inconsistent but should be able to handle their business at home.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of inconsistent
Adjective
  • We are made loving, good, and pure – entirely free from any inharmonious tendency.
    — Margaret Rogers, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Setting Discordant Personal Goals A 2023 study published in Current Psychology finds that partners’ inharmonious goals can have detrimental effects on relationships.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Definition of inharmonious

Browse Nearby Words

discordancy
discordant
discorded
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Cite this Entry

“Discordant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discordant. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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