dissonant
Americanadjective
-
disagreeing or harsh in sound; discordant.
-
out of harmony; incongruous; at variance.
- Synonyms:
- inconsistent, incongruent, incompatible
-
Music. characterized by dissonance.
adjective
-
discordant; cacophonous
-
incongruous or discrepant
-
music characterized by dissonance
Usage
What does dissonant mean? Dissonant is an adjective used to describe noise that’s harsh and inharmonious. It’s also used to describe things that are in stark disagreement or that lack consistency. In both cases, a close synonym is discordant. The state of being dissonant is dissonance. In the context of music, dissonant is used to describe a combination of sounds thought to be inharmonious (often ones intentionally composed to be so). Such a combination (or a chord or interval that features such disharmony) is called dissonance. In psychology, the term cognitive dissonance refers to the unease a person feels when they have two or more contradictory or incompatible beliefs. Such thoughts can be described as dissonant. Example: Leaders in both factions of the party promised harmony, but so far there has been nothing but dissonant rhetoric.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dissonant
1400–50; late Middle English dissonaunte (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dissonant- (stem of dissonāns, present participle of dissonāre to sound harsh), equivalent to disson- (derivative of dissonus discordant; see dis- 1, sound 1) + -ant- -ant
Explanation
If things don't go together well, you can call them dissonant. Dissonant voices are saying different things. Dissonant clothing choices clash. Dissonant chords lack harmony. The word dissonant comes from the Old French dis- meaning "apart" and sonare meaning "to sound." When a noise is dissonant, it sounds like it's broken apart, or not meshing together well. Dissonant doesn't have to describe just music or sounds. It can also refer to something that clashes or doesn't fit well together. When two people's versions of a story are dissonant, that means they don't match. Either one of them is lying or they just don't see eye-to-eye.
Vocabulary lists containing dissonant
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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.
She pairs them with a dissonant rock-pop sound that's equal parts Alanis Morissette and Evanescence - a stylistic choice that initially worked against her.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
Jerry Goldsmith’s diaphanous “Alien” score may not be instantly recognizable, but the dissonant orchestral sequences establish a mood that continues through the music featured in its sequels.
From Salon • Dec. 14, 2025
The striking “Porcelana,” about enduring pain for fleeting pleasure, has a woozy, dissonant arrangement that mixes woodwinds, shrieking strings, and skittering percussion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025
Standout tracks we noted included the dissonant “Yuk Foo” and the sassy hit “Don’t Delete the Kisses.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025
In simplest terms, the sound waves of consonant notes "fit" together much better than the sound waves of dissonant notes.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
