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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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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The orchestration is a touch grotesque, with the first violins given a shrill D two octaves above middle C.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
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Still, the shrill alarm that echoed on Friday morning as Israel announced airstrikes on neighboring Iran gave her that familiar feeling.—
Isabel Rivera,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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If co-workers are noisy, ask for sound-cancelling headphones or a seating change.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
28 June 2025
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In a lively first-half played in front of a noisy crowd of 54,619, Chelsea were denied a penalty when Enzo Fernandez went down in the box after turning past Gerson, while at the other end Levi Colwill headed the ball off the line from a free kick.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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If not, a show that has now been in decline for half its run risks devolving into a mess as self-indulgent, morose, and, well, dissonant as its title character.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
26 June 2025
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Roberts brought in dissonant strings and brass for the K2 battle droids.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Some of these vitamins have quality issues, like a fishy or unpleasant taste.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
25 June 2025
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Diana, for example, when anything unpleasant was said in her presence, would slowly blink her eyes in an incredible act of denial.—
Rosemary Counter,
Time,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Putting the uranium into metallic form is a critical step towards building nuclear weapons.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
26 June 2025
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It’s finished in unique deep blue that has a subtle metallic sheen when viewed in the right light.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
25 June 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
-
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
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As ovaries decline, hormones change, and a harmonious symphony can turn into a cacophonous noise, impacting the entire body.—
Karina Zaiets,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unmusical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmusical. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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