DISSONANCE Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

dissonance

noun

ˈdi-sə-nən(t)s

Definition of dissonance

as in discord

a lack of agreement or harmony the dissonance between what we are told and what we see with our own eyes

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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 dissonance Conversely, a manager who is uncertain or disengaged compounds any existing dissonance. — Guy Yehiav, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Thus, the dissonance between the calm many people expect from a ceasefire and near-daily reports of ongoing fighting. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 Diné weaver Marilou Schultz has been probing the harmonies and dissonances between these technologies since the 1960s. — Lua Vollaard, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026 Fans don’t quite know what to make of the gloomy dissonance. — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissonance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissonance

Noun

Meena said his contract was terminated prematurely, a dispute highlighting internal discord.

— Catherine Muccigrosso July 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
But mounting turmoil and discord have been a part of this transformative period that has featured a landmark collective bargaining agreement, league expansion and skyrocketing player recognition.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026

Definition of discord

Noun

Procedures and processes should make things smoother, not create friction.

— Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
As technology removes friction from nearly every transaction, the experiences people still willingly wait for have become increasingly valuable — and increasingly public.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 July 2026

Definition of friction

Noun

Part of that discordance might be the fact that as a genre, rock has historically been difficult to define.

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Nov. 2025
The songs bounce from discordance and disorientation to harmoniousness and repose — even in the uneasy moments, the songs don't sink.

— Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Definition of discordance

Noun

An intervention would risk shattering Lebanon, igniting sectarian strife, and further destabilizing the entire region, potentially undermining Sharaa's government.

— Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Next year’s game is scheduled for the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field for the first time since 1990, but is threatened by possible labor strife.

— Ronald Blum, Mercury News, 15 July 2026

Definition of strife

Noun

The Iranian military fired six missiles on Jordan today, according to the Jordan Armed Forces, as the regional conflict expands.

— Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Lario stressed that hunger and conflict often reinforce one another, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without greater stability.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026

Definition of conflict

Noun

However, the ruling has tremendous implications for regional politics--and for any future war between the United States and China.

— Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Shell’s latest quarterly profits soared to their second-highest levels in the company’s history as the US-Iran war caused a surge in global oil prices.

— Salma Arafa, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Definition of war

Noun

Millions of pilgrims converge on the holy city of Karbala, south of Baghdad, for Arbaeen, the 40th day of mourning for the killing of Imam Hussein 14 centuries ago, a definitive event in the schism between Shia and Sunni Islam.

— Jane Arraf, NPR, 30 July 2026
To waste all these resources on some esoteric arty thing, that’s when the schism started to happen for me.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 July 2026

Definition of schism

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dissolving

dissonance

dissonances

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“Dissonance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissonance. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of dissonance

noun

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