as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds
a very unmusical chorus of squawks from the angry ravens
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unmusical
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, 3 Oct. 2019
Paradoxically, then, the man most involved in the development of the electric guitar was the unmusical Leo Fender.
—David Kirby, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019
The controversy of Schoenberg’s serialist works—the overwhelming reaction to them as ugly, nightmarish, simply unmusical—shows how firmly tonality had come to condition habits of listening.
—Paul Grimstad, The New Republic, 21 June 2018
Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023
His parents were unmusical Russian-Jewish immigrants who ran various businesses with mixed success.
—The Economist, 3 Oct. 2019
Paradoxically, then, the man most involved in the development of the electric guitar was the unmusical Leo Fender.
—David Kirby, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019
The controversy of Schoenberg’s serialist works—the overwhelming reaction to them as ugly, nightmarish, simply unmusical—shows how firmly tonality had come to condition habits of listening.
—Paul Grimstad, The New Republic, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmusical
Adjective
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Arriving in January, the California Post will be Murdoch’s transplant of his right-leaning tabloid the New York Post, replete with shrill headlines and randy gossip.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
11 Sep. 2025
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One option is to simply double down on the existing approach and become shriller.—
Robert G. Eccles,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Just a 10-minute stroll from the city center, the elevation affords something akin to a retreat; Bolaño feels spirited away from the noisy streets, surrounded instead by humming cicadas and chirping birds.—
Keith Flanagan,
Architectural Digest,
11 Sep. 2025
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In the vast and noisy Southern Ocean, such predictability may be the key to helping rivals or potential mates recognize an individual voice across miles of ice and water.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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His new film, Highest 2 Lowest, which opened Friday, flips Akira Kurosawa’s mannered 1963 staple, High and Low, into a rowdy, topical, laugh-out-loud romp (starring Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, and A$AP Rocky) that’s as beautifully jarring as a dissonant sax solo.—
Will Dukes,
Rolling Stone,
17 Aug. 2025
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Still, the moody, dissonant synths were transfixing.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Increase your fiber intake slowly and drink plenty of water to reduce unpleasant side effects like cramping and bloating.—
Courtney Southwick,
Health,
8 Sep. 2025
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Any unpleasant government decision—such as the August order blocking voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, on the pretext of preventing scams and terrorist activity—tends to be perceived mostly with passive discontent and immediate adaptation with the search for alternative practical solutions.—
ANDREI KOLESNIKOV,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Rpzl The Morgan Stacked Cuff solves these issues, all while looking incredibly chic in its nine metallic, patterned, and show-stopping shades.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Pour a small amount of metallic crafts paint inside a vase; tip and twirl the vase to cover as much of the interior as desired.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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For sixteen hours a week, Valentine hopes to share some melody in a place that, for some, can feel inharmonious.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
24 July 2021
Adjective
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Cramming his wide screen with the comings and goings of a 24-character ensemble, Altman creates an incredible, cacophonous entertainment, equal parts comedy and tragedy, featuring terrific original songs and an unforgettable ending.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
18 July 2025
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Apart from the occasional timid car—and the less timid, cacophonous crows—the East Nashville community appeared to be following weather warnings and taking advantage of the cozy Friday at home.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unmusical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmusical. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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