TUNELESS Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

tuneless

adjective

Definition of tuneless

as in atonal

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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 tuneless Her aesthetics and tuneless vocals left audiences in awe and laughter. — Raquel Willis, Time, 19 June 2025 For the rest of us, a real musical comedy is a cause for celebration; most are either too tuneless to be musicals or too dull to be comedies. — Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 Winfrey’s musical reworking of The Color Purple is essentially tuneless and unpleasant. — Armond White, National Review, 3 Jan. 2024 That baggy, shambling gang of tuneless no-hopers swept along on the glassy-eyed tide of post-acid house euphoria? — Jonathan Bernstein, SPIN, 7 June 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tuneless

Adjective

Today composers often combine tonal and atonal elements, using atonality to create feelings of uncertainty, psychological tension, or dramatic intensity.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
There are atonal jabs, and there are jazz flourishes, and there’s kind of a deeply romantic strain running through it as well.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 29 July 2026

Definition of atonal

Adjective

Forbidden Compass feels bafflingly out of touch and off-key, with the flavor of supermarket own-brand cornflakes.

— Caspar Salmon, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
By 1988, when Phantom debuted on Broadway, the Reagan-era consumer culture and flashy opulence were on their way out, so the ornate, maximalist sets and the lush orchestrations felt off-key to reviewers.

— Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of off-key

Adjective

When considering thrift store furniture with upholstery, always check the cushions and padding for unpleasant odors.

— Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
Impact on regional planning Several Davidson town commissioners noted their own unpleasant history with the I-77 North toll lanes project.

— DJ Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of unpleasant

Adjective

Mistaking being disagreeable with the act of disagreeing is common - especially in unsafe psychological workplaces.

— Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
There are also a lot of people who have never dreamed of being disagreeable in public, much less considered joining a raucous social movement.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026

Definition of disagreeable

Adjective

With a soprano voice that’s sharp but never shrill, O’Donovan can levitate a heartfelt melody over just about any kind of accompaniment.

— Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
When Caleb Hammer, a thirty-one-year-old personal-finance YouTuber, gets particularly exasperated, his voice enters a shrill upper register.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of shrill

Browse Nearby Words

tuneful

tuneless

tune out

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Tuneless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tuneless. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tuneless

adjective

Example Sentences

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