1
as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds
discordant tones coming from the poorly tuned instrument
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discordant
Deliver Me from Nowhere focuses on Bruce Springsteen in the midst of a depressive episode, struggling to create something meaningful and finite, while suicidal ideation plays discordant sounds in his head.
—
Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Together the flavor is muddled, slightly discordant, but alone the Irish whiskey gets to sing, its apples and pears and slight malt and gentle touch a perfect foil to the zesty front palate of the lemon and the deep finish of the almonds.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
However, an investigation by The Bee this week found that Flora, 42, brings a history to the role that may be discordant with a party concerned with family values and fiscal conservatism.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2025
And the colors of the stone sometimes looked discordant—the quarries at Montjuïc had closed in 1957.
—D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discordant
Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Together the flavor is muddled, slightly discordant, but alone the Irish whiskey gets to sing, its apples and pears and slight malt and gentle touch a perfect foil to the zesty front palate of the lemon and the deep finish of the almonds.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
However, an investigation by The Bee this week found that Flora, 42, brings a history to the role that may be discordant with a party concerned with family values and fiscal conservatism.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2025
And the colors of the stone sometimes looked discordant—the quarries at Montjuïc had closed in 1957.
—D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discordant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discordant
Adjective
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Joe’s voice rose to a shrill cry.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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There’s a straight line between the criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell and increasingly shrill threats to seize Greenland.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The world was a noisy, crowded place in that era.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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This is the best place both to hear the speech (otherwise the room is too noisy) and to watch the faces of people gathered around the screens.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The operation also resulted in the killing of two US citizens, the deployment of aggressive tactics by armed, masked DHS agents, and a soaring sense of trepidation permeating Minnesota’s immigrant communities.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Torres Hidalgo had been diagnosed with the rare and aggressive form of soft tissue cancer in December 2024.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Antigovernment demonstrations intensify in Iran as mourners hold 40-day memorial ceremonies, while international observers report conflicting death tolls and warn of death sentences for detainees.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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The pair ran into difficulties while trying to reach the summit but there were conflicting accounts in court regarding the defendant’s attempts to seek assistance.—
Stephanie Halasz,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The contrast of the narrative established by the plates is comparable to jazz music, with its rhythm and repetition broken up by unexpected and sometimes dissonant improvisations, the Art Institute said.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
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That film, which starred Stanfield alongside Tessa Thompson, established Riley as a filmmaker unafraid to blend satire with surreal, often dissonant ideas.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The ceasefire deal calls for an armed international stabilization force to keep security and ensure the disarming of the militant Hamas group, a key demand of Israel.—
Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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But since the beginning of the year, hundreds of Nigerians have been killed, injured, or kidnapped in attacks across the country with responsibility attributed to a mix of militant and criminal actors, including Boko Haram, the Islamic State, and a group known as Lakurawa.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That approach is inconsistent with Texas law and unfair to taxpayers.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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Tagovailoa got benched last year because of his inconsistent performance and lack of velocity on his throws.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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 20 Feb. 2026.
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