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 One post from February features a self-portrait to which Longo added ominous, discordant music and the grain of a CCTV camera, like a prisoner in a horror movie. — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Candidates also say the interim mayor must return order to meetings, which have become increasingly discordant as the public interrupts proceedings and occasionally hurls pointed insults at council members. — Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2026 Some critics view gladiatorial displays of violence as inappropriate for a historic anniversary and complain that the spectacle hits a discordant note amid war in Iran and rising prices. — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 12 June 2026 Loesser’s score is ambitious and diverse, with a discordant duet by Joe and Rosabella, lively Neapolitan-style songs by the Italian vineyeard workers, a beautifully harmonized barbershop quartet and some classic Broadway belter songs. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 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
  • Amid the rumblings of construction at nearby David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the sound of a shrill whistle and chopping feet at the nearby Murfin Family Practice Fields signaled one thing.
    — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • That trademark indecision of summer takes root in her words and spreads through the music until her vocals diverge in the chorus, peeling like a clementine’s skin as one shrill line scales upward and the other remains monotone.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026
Definition of shrill
Adjective
  • The central location comes with a touch of weekend bustle—Big Bear Boulevard can get noisy—but the trade-off for walkability is worth it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • This impending surge in lunar traffic makes time-sensitive missions like CosmoCube crucial to capturing the universe’s earliest faint signals before the quietest sanctuary in the solar system becomes noisy.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • Raman said the city has lost tens of thousands of film jobs under Bass and said Los Angeles needs a more aggressive film tax credit to compete with other states.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Philadelphia came out aggressive in the second half, took control of the game, and tied it in the 58th minute on a close-range header from Neil Pierre on a cross from Milan Iloski after a free kick.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • The hunt itself is surprisingly rich in lore, however, as well as in conflicting details.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Test exceptions, conflicting data, policy boundaries and recovery paths before expanding its authority because those hard cases reveal more about readiness than a clean demo.
    — Robert Kramer, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of conflicting
Adjective
  • The score was such a beautiful, odd, dissonant piece of work.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 July 2026
  • Their disparate sonic elements form a dissonant but cohesive whole, wisps of trumpet and electronic woodwinds flashing by as quickly as flickering subway car lights.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
Definition of dissonant
Adjective
  • Released foreign prisoners, mainly Syrian Islamist militant prisoners, would be transferred to Lebanon’s General Security intelligence agency that is responsible for enforcing immigration laws.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Trump had said Israeli forces would withdraw as the Hamas militant group’s disarmament is completed.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • Out wide, Oscar Bobb and Kevin, both 23, will compete for starting roles after inconsistent debut campaigns at Craven Cottage.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • That results in inconsistent yields and increasingly low groundwater levels.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 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

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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 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on discordant

Nglish: Translation of discordant for Spanish Speakers

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