discrepancy

[ dih-skrep-uhn-see ]

/ dɪˈskrɛp ən si /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR discrepancy ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural dis·crep·an·cies for 2.

the state or quality of being discrepant or in disagreement, as by displaying an unexpected or unacceptable difference; inconsistency: The discrepancy between the evidence and his account of what happened led to his arrest.

an instance of difference or inconsistency: There are certain discrepancies between the two versions of the story.

Nearby words

discreate, discredit, discreditable, discreet, discreetly, discrepancy, discrepant, discrete, discrete variable, discretely, discretion

Also dis·crep·ance.

Origin of discrepancy

1615–25; < Latin discrepantia, equivalent to discrepant- (see discrepant) + -ia; see -ancy

SYNONYMS FOR discrepancy

1 incongruity, disagreement, discordance, contrariety, variance.

2 variation.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR discrepancy ON THESAURUS.COM

Synonym study

1. See difference.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for discrepancy

By no means does this discrepancy indicate that Barnard is necessarily safer for women.
No Rapes On Campus? No Way.|Emily Shire|July 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But there is a discrepancy in the way masturbation is discussed in regards to men and women.
C’mon, Ladies, Masturbation Isn’t Just for Bad Girls|Emily Shire|June 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He claims in his complaint that the agency never clarified the discrepancy nor did it pay Shanklin the $35,000.
How Models Get Robbed on the Runway|Jennifer Sky|May 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The discrepancy in these figures is not for lack of fighting.
The Medal of Honor Disgrace|Brian Van Reet|March 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Cases currently in the national spotlight illustrate the discrepancy between medical and personal definitions of death.
Families and Physicians Debate the True Meaning of Brain Death|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Richard Joseph|January 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But there was a discrepancy between the entry in his log and that in the log of the engineer.
Romantic Spain|John Augustus O'Shea
This discrepancy is not, like many other Bible discrepancies, an unintentional error.
The Christ|John Eleazer Remsburg
When the machine is moved through the air, as in gliding, the discrepancy seems much less marked.
A History of Aeronautics|E. Charles Vivian
Where it has not, the discrepancy between old and new is usually unmistakable.
Windows, A Book About Stained & Painted Glass|Lewis F. Day
What is the reason for this discrepancy between the resources and the output of the South?
The Southern South|Albert Bushnell Hart

British Dictionary definitions for discrepancy

discrepancy

/ (dɪˈskrɛpənsɪ) /

noun plural -cies

a conflict or variation, as between facts, figures, or claims

usage

Discrepancy is sometimes wrongly used where disparity is meant. A discrepancy exists between things which ought to be the same; it can be small but is usually significant. A disparity is a large difference between measurable things such as age, rank, or wages

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