as in discords
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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Recent Examples of dissonances
Through all these inconsistencies, absences, dissonances, and contradictions, an overarching coherence emerges.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
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
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
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
Noun
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Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads.—
April Uchitel,
Flow Space,
6 Aug. 2025
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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
Noun
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China may be happy to deflect these frictions and gain goodwill with Trump by showing its recent diplomacy with Iran as part of a good-faith effort to help Washington end the war.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
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Spoken words, brisk rhythms, and the pleasurable frictions of dissonance all remained frothy and intact.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In previous Middle East conflicts, American diplomats constantly shuttled across the region, working with allies to build up momentum for a political resolution.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
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Instead, the data revealed a planet in flux where areas brightened explosively in one year and dimmed sharply the next; regions flickered in rhythms tied to oil booms, armed conflicts, and pandemic lockdowns.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Given the schisms, some in the GOP believe only a single party-line bill may end up passing before November.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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But over the past decade or so, major schisms have emerged.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At the same time, however, the study documented dimming events including in Ukraine and Gaza as wars unfolded, in Venezuela as the economy collapsed, and in parts of Europe when governments enacted energy conservation mandates following the Russia-Ukraine war.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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If things go according to sales agents’ plans, the bidding wars will flow as freely as the rosé.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissonances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissonances. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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