1
as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds
discordant tones coming from the poorly tuned instrument
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in noisy
making loud, confused, and usually unharmonious sounds
the discordant cries of gulls fighting over the fishing boat's castoffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a troubled, discordant family that would benefit from professional counseling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
As institutions fractured, migratory movements pushed not from Africa to Europe, but from Europe to Africa, and a new order began to emerge, Augustine interpreted the signs of discordant times.
—
Anna Rowlands, Time, 12 May 2025
Francis’s revision of Catholic teaching on the death penalty, though in continuity with recent predecessors, struck many Catholics as discordant with earlier teaching.
—The Editors, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
Ultimately, the only discordant note in a win that was simultaneously the 50th of Sirianni’s career and 300th in the ownership tenure of Jeffrey Lurie came from Jake Elliott, who missed a 39-yard field goal attempt in the first half.
—Howard Megdal, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Partners in crime and brothers forged in bonds that run thicker than blood, Ray and Manny part ways on a tragic, discordant note.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discordant
Anna Rowlands, Time, 12 May 2025
Francis’s revision of Catholic teaching on the death penalty, though in continuity with recent predecessors, struck many Catholics as discordant with earlier teaching.
—The Editors, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
Ultimately, the only discordant note in a win that was simultaneously the 50th of Sirianni’s career and 300th in the ownership tenure of Jeffrey Lurie came from Jake Elliott, who missed a 39-yard field goal attempt in the first half.
—Howard Megdal, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Partners in crime and brothers forged in bonds that run thicker than blood, Ray and Manny part ways on a tragic, discordant note.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discordant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discordant
Adjective
-
Their bathroom floor also pooled with water after showering, and noise from other apartments, like the shrill beeps of a low-battery smoke detector next door, carried through the paper-thin walls.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
22 Apr. 2025
-
As such, The Studio is shrill and talky, its chaotic scenes sparked by random performers like Charlize Theron, Zac Efron, Olivia Wilde and Sarah Polley, all of whom want something from Remick.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Its lineup interspersed noisy no wave groups like Pop Music Fever Dream and Pure Adult, upbeat pop-rock performances from bands like Um, Jennifer?—
Grace Robins-Somerville,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2025
-
The sheer volume of content created far outpaces what audiences can consume, leading to a noisy, crowded digital ecosystem.—
Luca Brinkhues,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
Don Muir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
With the textured hair care space full of conflicting information, cutting through the noise is becoming more difficult than the routine itself.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
27 May 2025
-
Many participants with conflicting ideologies also reported cohabiting peacefully for the most part, while being careful not to bring up divisive topics and focus on their similarities instead.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
Less an adaptation than a dissonant echo of Carrollian logic, Alice is a marvel of handmade horror that channels the darker currents of adolescent imagination and, not unlike Us, treats the inner life of a child not as an innocent refuge but as haunted terrain.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
21 May 2025
-
Salome, in the grisly final scene, reasserts a degree of tonal stability, but dissonant uproar resumes when Herod commands her death.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
In response to the vote, Iraqi troops retook vast swathes of territory seized by Kurdish forces during their joint fight against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
-
In December, after years of stalemate in the war, Assad’s long-standing authoritarian regime collapsed, in the face of an unexpected offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist militant group once affiliated with al-Qaida.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Royals’ offense has been inconsistent this season.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2025
-
Wolfe testified during the first trial, which ended with a deadlocked jury, that damage to Read's SUV is inconsistent with a collision involving O'Keefe.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
For sixteen hours a week, Valentine hopes to share some melody in a place that, for some, can feel inharmonious.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
24 July 2021
Cite this Entry
“Discordant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discordant. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share