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 warnings start coming in, first shrill alarms from our cellphones alerting us of a tornado warning, and then the stirring call of tornado-warning sirens outside of the windows.—
Colleen Hagerty,
Rolling Stone,
27 July 2025
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The shrill, ominous sound is instantly recognizable, and for anyone who’s experienced the real thing, gut-churning.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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The noisy ones have either hope or larceny in their souls.—
Chip Bell,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Rez said platforms should build internal mechanisms that elevated antisemitism protections above noisy or majority-sourced signals in training.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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By plunging the viewer into this chaotic inner world, Aster illustrates the dissonant appeal of being enmeshed in the perspective of, and maybe even rooting for, an individual committed to their belief in justice—even if that commitment can border on sordid.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
23 July 2025
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The dissonant hoover synths seethe like Bernard Herrmann strings — echoing the lyrics’ references to Hitchcock’s Psycho, Vertigo, and Rear Window.—
Kristen S. Hé,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Once again, America confronts the unpleasant truth that the Constitution does not expressly guarantee a right to vote — and neither will the Supreme Court.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Aug. 2025
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The options are unpleasant tenements on one side and unaffordable houses on the other.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This year, the smooth, rounded, metallic gem is the third-largest diamond found so far, the park said.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
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Zoë Kravitz shows off her biceps and tattoos while sporting a metallic sunglasses while out and about in the East Village of N.Y.C. on August 11.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
12 Aug. 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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This year's trip to Thailand was an exercise in incivility and taboo-breaking, a cacophonous symphony of troubled souls colliding amid Mai Tais and monkeys.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unmusical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmusical. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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