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
Wallen, who has seemingly made a name for himself more so by generating controversy than for his music, struck a particularly discordant note when he was caught on camera using a racist slur in 2021.
—
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
But Tahoe opens things up to some truly discordant-looking color combinations.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 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
That bill passed the Senate but never even got a hearing in the House — a discordant note in an otherwise relentless prohibitionist score.
—Robert Hoban, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discordant
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
But Tahoe opens things up to some truly discordant-looking color combinations.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 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
That bill passed the Senate but never even got a hearing in the House — a discordant note in an otherwise relentless prohibitionist score.
—Robert Hoban, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discordant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discordant
Adjective
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Arriving in January, the California Post will be Murdoch’s transplant of his right-leaning tabloid the New York Post, replete with shrill headlines and randy gossip.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
11 Sep. 2025
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One option is to simply double down on the existing approach and become shriller.—
Robert G. Eccles,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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During the diagnostic test, Firestone employees noted the engine was noisy, barely ran and burned oil, according to Pittman's paperwork.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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And Latin American cultures are noisy.—
Tamara Hardingham-Gill,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of the aggressive tactics used by Border Patrol and ICE, including against US citizens.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Chiefs were again aggressive on fourth down — and successful at stopping them, too.—
Scott Chasen,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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After giving birth to him, she’s overwhelmed by irreconcilably conflicting emotions—Javed is at once her own flesh, and an embodiment of his father’s actions.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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However there are conflicting concerns offsetting those gains due to slowing oil demand.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The duo moved around notes to create a sound that was dissonant, amplifying the disgusting effect.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
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But Roofman, which Cianfrance also co-wrote, was clearly intended to be lighter fare and instead ends up in this dissonant in-between space tonally.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Israel says the militant group can access the remains of most of the hostages.—
Maayan Lubell,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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Israel launched its war on Hamas after the October 7, 2023, terror attacks in which the militant group and its allies killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostages to Gaza.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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By the end of the season, one of the biggest conversations regarding the WNBA revolved around what many saw as inconsistent officiating, which can arguably result in mixed messages about what level of physicality is allowed on the court.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
27 Oct. 2025
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Fairlead Strategies or its affiliates may have positions in financial instruments mentioned, may have acquired such positions at prices no longer available, and may have interests different from or adverse to your interests or inconsistent with the advice herein.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
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 4 Nov. 2025.
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