dissonant

adjective

ˈdi-sə-nənt How to pronounce dissonant (audio)
Definition of dissonantnext
as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds a dissonant chorus of noises arose from the busy construction site

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 dissonant In 49 games for Brazil, his goal return struck a dissonant chord with the Ballon d’Or campaign that Madrid waged on his behalf only two years ago, when a delegation infamously abandoned the ceremony in Paris upon learning that Manchester City’s midfielder Rodri was to be announced the winner. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 June 2026 As things got crazier with our heroes and the Supes, things became more dissonant. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 June 2026 That question is at the crux of Irish filmmaker John Carney’s sixth sometimes magical, at times tonally dissonant solo directorial feature. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 But recent research found that members of the Tsimane’, a native Amazonian society in Bolivia, rate consonant and dissonant chords as equally pleasurable. — Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissonant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissonant
  1. shrill
  2. noisy
  3. cacophonous
  4. unpleasant
  5. discordant
  6. metallic
  7. unmusical
  8. inharmonious
Adjective
  • The shrill call of the shofar ensures no one falls asleep during lengthy Jewish High Holy Day services each year.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Amid the rumblings of construction at nearby David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the sound of a shrill whistle and chopping feet at the nearby Murfin Family Practice Fields signaled one thing.
    — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of shrill
Adjective
  • Danley in August railed against the plan, describing the concept as overengineered, noisier, more dangerous and needlessly destructive toward the river ecosystem around Barber Park.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Sep. 2026
  • For Lindsey Maness, the menace during one hotel stay for work in Austin, Texas, was a noisy elevator near her room.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • That little note turned into this absolute cacophonous thunderstorm, all from that one note on the guitar.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In a packed, bustling restaurant, collective chatter reaches cacophonous levels, which is where mechanic Ninh (Nguyễn Quốc Tuấn) comes in.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of cacophonous
Adjective
  • There was a lot of work on the medical cases to make the investigations complex and realistic, but there was also an entry point built around a strong, funny, unpleasant character, completely at odds with her return to her roots.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Are those seats empty for a neutral reason or an unpleasant reason?
    — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Jim Williams’ score effectively undermines the beauty parlour as a place of pre-wedding excitement and anticipation with discordant electro-pop — just ever so slightly suggesting that nothing good is set to happen here.
    — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026
  • No team wants to peak on the first Saturday, but our league loves a narrative and what happens right now sets a tone; Manchester United’s is discordant, flat, lethargic.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of discordant
Adjective
  • The team is actively refining the thickness, layout, and aspect ratios of the metallic shells to maximize protection while minimizing weight, a critical factor for rocket payloads.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Evening jackets were everywhere on the fall runways—floor-dusting velvet opera coats, sharp tuxedos, and metallic brocade—while the key occasion dress emerged as a flapper-style drop waist.
    — Madeline Fass, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of metallic
Adjective
  • Those songs remind Omara of real people and real events, political interludes whose senselessness and brutality have left unmusical lacunae in her life.
    — Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023
  • His parents were unmusical Russian-Jewish immigrants who ran various businesses with mixed success.
    — The Economist, The Economist, 3 Oct. 2019
Definition of unmusical
Adjective
  • We are made loving, good, and pure – entirely free from any inharmonious tendency.
    — Margaret Rogers, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of inharmonious

Browse Nearby Words

dissonances
dissonant
dissuade
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Cite this Entry

“Dissonant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissonant. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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