harmonious
Americanadjective
-
marked by agreement in feeling, attitude, or action.
a harmonious group.
- Synonyms:
- sympathetic, congenial, amicable
- Antonyms:
- discordant
-
forming a pleasingly consistent whole; congruous.
harmonious colors.
- Synonyms:
- consistent, consonant, congruent, concordant
-
pleasant to the ear; tuneful; melodious.
- Antonyms:
- discordant
adjective
-
(esp of colours or sounds) fitting together well
-
having agreement or consensus
-
tuneful, consonant, or melodious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of harmonious
First recorded in 1520–30, harmonious is from the Greek word harmónios melodious, literally, fitting. See harmony, -ous
Explanation
Things that are harmonious go together nicely, like notes in music or people that work well as a team. The idea of things being harmonious comes from music — when certain notes sound good together, they are harmonious. But this concept applies to many other things and people, too. You could say pieces of art that look good next to each other are harmonious. A basketball team that shares the ball and gets along well is harmonious. Anytime people get along, they're being harmonious. In a totally harmonious society, there would be no war or hate.
Vocabulary lists containing harmonious
Tuesdays with Morrie
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Black Like Me
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Novel Study: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 2
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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.
Like the rest of the villagers, her jealousy stems from a seemingly harmonious yet ultimately unfulfilling relationship, providing just enough humor and stakes for “Wicker” to glide amiably.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026
But it also has a certain shapelessness—its many motifs never cohere into a harmonious composition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
LA28 hopes to create a similar, harmonious energy during the Games with sports parks at major sports zones.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
"Music itself brings people together, but Carnival certainly brings them together for more reasons than one and it's not about animosity, it brings them together in a loving way, harmonious way."
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
All around, the spirits hummed their harmonious spirituals and murmured quietly to one another, their glow pulsing in time with the shimmer growing in the dark waters.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
