SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
dissonance
noun
A lack of harmony or agreement; also a clashing combination of sounds.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Lack of agreement
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topIncongruity stresses a poor fit; dissonance emphasizes a clash between elements or ideas.
Clashing sounds
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topCacophony implies unpleasant noise; musical dissonance can be used deliberately for expressive effect.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The dissonance family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
dissonantadjective
Lacking harmony or agreement, whether in sound or in ideas.
Clashing or lacking harmony
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
The hopeful title struck a dissonant note beside the essay's bleak conclusion.
A demand for elaborate ingredients struck a dissonant note beside an invitation emphasizing inexpensive recipes, so the editor asked the contributor to explain the choice.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See dissonance in use
The critic noted a dissonance between the cheerful title and the bleak story.
The dissonance between a promise of open participation and a plan to exclude dissenting members became immediately visible.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license