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unmusical

adjective

ˌən-ˈmyü-zi-kəl How to pronounce unmusical (audio)
Definition of unmusicalnext
as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds a very unmusical chorus of squawks from the angry ravens

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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmusical
  1. shrill
  2. noisy
  3. dissonant
  4. unpleasant
  5. metallic
  6. inharmonious
  7. cacophonous
Adjective
  • But about five minutes later, a sharp cracking sound momentarily replaced the shrill squeal of sirens, and the top half of the South Tower imploded, bringing the entire thing down.
    — Timothy Townsend, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of shrill
Adjective
  • The Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (7 miles north of San Simeon) remains full of massive, delightfully noisy beasts.
    — David G. Allan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The passionate fans, especially the loyalists in his native Michigan, were getting too restless and noisy.
    — Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • In a film, that’s where the music would come up, dissonant strings, ringing ears, the drums increasing tempo.
    — Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The score was such a beautiful, odd, dissonant piece of work.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of dissonant
Adjective
  • For people without underlying risk factors, COVID infections are not outright dangerous but remain deeply unpleasant, Guest and Chin-Hong say.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Over time, the dog may start to associate the unpleasant noise with the barking and stop.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • The centerpiece of the look was her cutout dress and its plunging neckline adorned with intricate metallic sequin detailing.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Bella Hadid, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Kaia Gerber are a handful of stars that have worn metallic styles in the past, ranging from silver hues to shades of pink.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of metallic
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
Adjective
  • In one, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the new White House helipad, a project the president has shown tremendous pride in, he couldn’t be heard over the cacophonous din of Marine One.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Anyone who stands in front of De Kooning’s urgent, sensuously greedy drawings, with their writhing contours, cacophonous colors, and perverse processes, can feel the force of that craving.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of cacophonous

Browse Nearby Words

unmuffling
unmusical
unnamed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unmusical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmusical. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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