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dissonance

noun

ˈdi-sə-nən(t)s How to pronounce dissonance (audio)
Definition of dissonancenext
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony the dissonance between what we are told and what we see with our own eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 dissonance The first sequence plays out with breathtaking suspense, the second with wrenching tragedy; the difference is calibrated by the composer Ludwig Göransson, whose score pulses with mournful dissonance and martial fury. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 Her full-length works often feature people, especially women, holding their ground and deviating from societal expectations, which creates dissonance between their internal and external worlds. — Sky Davis, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for dissonance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissonance
  1. discord
  2. friction
  3. discordance
  4. strife
  5. conflict
  6. discordancy
  7. war
  8. schism
Noun
  • The discord meant the program spent much of the summer hiring replacement correspondents, including Ross Douthat, a conservative New York Times opinion writer with no experience as a TV journalist.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Party discord has also been a problem as leaders like Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, have developed their own fundraising and organizing infrastructure to harness political support independent of the state party.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • For Ferrari to have tripped up so spectacularly at Monza of all races only added to the friction.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The engine protectant does not change the oil viscosity, which is a good thing, and it is designed to reduce friction.
    — John Paul, The Providence Journal, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of friction
Noun
  • And so my conversation with Noah centered on the idea of a space where there would be a discordance between what the physical space looked like and what was happening emotionally in that room.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of discordance
Noun
  • At its heart are two families on different sides of a financial divide who intersect when Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a documentary filmmaker married to a wealthy heir, Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), attempts to make a film about labor strife.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • This sport is rooted in traditions that span generations and have endured through two world wars, economic booms, depressions and social strife.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • Doubt and conflict flows through not just her searching eyes but also, in this case, a shrinking, defensive posture.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Mountains made tall by millions of years of violent, tectonic conflict.
    — Supriya Lopez Pillai, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • The discordancy is so intriguing — like learning that Katharine Graham went to nude encounter sessions at Esalen, or Alan Greenspan was once in a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
Definition of discordancy
Noun
  • This could give Iran additional leverage in its war with the United States.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • On behalf of her contact at the Russian embassy, the defendant sought information on German defense policy and the defense industry, particularly in light of Russia's war on Ukraine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • Yet, a deep ideological schism remains over what victory for the Islamic Republic should look like.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • This turns into a big argument about Issa being a weird little guy, and suddenly there are multiple potential roommate schisms in the house.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of schism

Browse Nearby Words

dissolving
dissonance
dissonances
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Cite this Entry

“Dissonance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissonance. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dissonance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dissonance

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