cognitive dissonance

American

noun

Psychology.

anxiety or discomfort that results from simultaneously holding contradictory or otherwise incompatible attitudes, beliefs, or the like, such as when someone likes a person but disapproves strongly of one of their habits.

cognitive dissonance British

noun

psychol an uncomfortable mental state resulting from conflicting cognitions; usually resolved by changing some of the cognitions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cognitive dissonance

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

cognitive dissonance

The overall picture is one of serious cognitive dissonance.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

“There’s a cognitive dissonance between the intricacies of these deals and the actual amount of water that is in storage,” said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

In trying to disassociate herself from the scandal, Melania’s lack of acknowledgment of her husband’s ties to Epstein stands out as a confusing, but increasingly familiar, bit of cognitive dissonance.

From Slate ● Apr. 10, 2026

I predicted this miserable state of affairs back in 2017, after interviewing psychology experts on cognitive dissonance.

From Salon ● Jan. 19, 2026

They stared at him, at his face that was as blue as his hands, and they struggled—all save Thyon—with an overwhelming upsurge of cognitive dissonance.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023