dissonances

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 dissonances Diné weaver Marilou Schultz has been probing the harmonies and dissonances between these technologies since the 1960s. — Lua Vollaard, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026 With a laugh, the British native charmingly embraces any international dissonances in play. — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 Instruments and voices accumulate into immense, sustained, saturating dissonances, with a snare drum cutting through the tear-gas haze. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 From Zehetmair’s searching dissonances, the SPCO moved into Brahms’ Double Concerto, performed by concertmaster Steven Copes and principal cello Julie Albers. — Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025 Although the relocation of a very Nordic communitarian milieu to a British setting creates its own cultural dissonances, the end result is a nifty ethical puzzle about balancing the needs of individuals versus those of the community. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissonances
  1. discords
  2. frictions
  3. conflicts
  4. schisms
  5. wars
Noun
  • Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads.
    — April Uchitel, Flow Space, 6 Aug. 2025
  • In every case, physical science, which is based on the evidence reported by these limited and limiting senses, eventually leaves us stranded with the conviction that sickness, accidents, and disasters – discords of every description, regardless of the apparent cause – are real and inevitable.
    — Lisa Rennie Sytsma, Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2025
Definition of discords
Noun
  • One mismatch driving current frictions may be how both sides view that term.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Moreover Jewish and Eastern Christian frictions go back deep into the Ottoman era, jockeying for the Sultan’s favor in the millet system.
    — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of frictions
Noun
  • That definition appears designed to keep participating firms focused on criminal enterprises and out of interstate conflicts.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Most conflicts between humans and bears are traced back to human food, garbage, pet food, bird seed, or other things that attract bears.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of conflicts
Noun
  • Yet since she was rescued in bad shape in mid-July and transferred to the Ojai Raptor Center for treatment, schisms have formed.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • But the Kirtland church community soon experienced schisms and conflicts over doctrine, money and authority.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of schisms
Noun
  • Since the wars ended, land mines and unexploded ordnance have killed approximately 90,000 people and wounded almost twice as many across the three countries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Leaders throughout history, such as Julius Caesar and Abraham Lincoln, have taught us plenty of lessons about leadership during turbulent times, including wars, economic downturns, technological disruptions, political instability and social changes.
    — Don Weber, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of wars

Browse Nearby Words

dissonance
dissonances
dissonant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissonances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissonances. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dissonances

Nglish: Translation of dissonances for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All