harmony

American  

[hahr-muh-nee] / ˈhɑr mə ni /

noun

• harmonies
  plural

1. agreement; accord; harmonious relations.

   Synonyms:

   friendship, amity, peace, unity, concord

2. a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity.

   Synonyms:

   consonance, consistency, correspondence, conformity

3. Music.

   1. any simultaneous combination of tones.

   2. the simultaneous combination of tones, especially when blended into chords pleasing to the ear; chordal structure, as distinguished from melody and rhythm.

   3. the science of the structure, relations, and practical combination of chords.

4. an arrangement of the contents of the Gospels, either of all four or of the first three, designed to show their parallelism, mutual relations, and differences.

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harmony British  

/ ˈhɑːmənɪ /

noun

1. agreement in action, opinion, feeling, etc; accord

2. order or congruity of parts to their whole or to one another

3. agreeable sounds

4. music

   1. any combination of notes sounded simultaneously

   2. the vertically represented structure of a piece of music Compare melody rhythm

   3. the art or science concerned with the structure and combinations of chords

5. a collation of the material of parallel narratives, esp of the four Gospels

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harmony Cultural  

1. The sounding of two or more musical notes at the same time in a way that is pleasant or desired. Harmony, melody, and rhythm are elements of music.

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Synonym Usage

See symmetry. Harmony, melody in music suggest a combination of sounds from voices or musical instruments. Harmony is the blending of simultaneous sounds of different pitch or quality, making chords: harmony in part singing; harmony between violins and horns. Melody is the rhythmical combination of successive sounds of various pitch, making up the tune or air: a tuneful melody to accompany cheerful words.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonharmony
  noun
• preharmony
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• harmonies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of harmony

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English armonye, from Middle French, from Latin harmonia, from Greek harmonía “joint, framework, agreement, harmony,” akin to hárma “chariot,” harmós “joint,” ararískein “to join together”

Explanation

Harmony is the sound of things that go together well — people singing in harmony are in tune with each other. Best friends should be in harmony most of the time if they want to stay best buds! Harmony is a noun that describes an agreement, such as in feeling, sound, look, feel, or smell. It’s necessary for roommates to be able to live in harmony in a small space, or they’re in for a wake-up call. In music, harmony is a pleasing combination and progression of chords. If it makes you wince, it’s lacking harmony. Synonyms for harmony include accord, concord, cooperation, like-mindedness, and unanimity. Antonyms, on the other hand, range from clash and disagreement to discord.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

harmony harmonies

But what matters most is to live in harmony with creation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

"We must not let events happening externally affect this peace and harmony we have in Singapore," it said at the time.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

But it also reminds me of why Ashitaka’s central question remains as moving as the film’s visual feasts: Why can’t humans and the forest live together in harmony?

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Here’s how I learned to stop taking it personally — along with tips I’ve picked up for working in harmony with a manager you find annoying.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

The beings of thought, of land, and of air lived in harmony with the beings of water for an age.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

But you can hear the heart in Haggard’s leathery vocals, buoyed by the sweet harmonies of his backing band.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

They burst into action with an explosion of pyrotechnics and fireworks with Hooligan, which showcased their trademark blend of honeyed harmonies and crisp rap verses.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

The country singer was as solid and soulful as always, snarling gently through “Bad as I Used to Be,” then trading loving harmonies with his wife, Morgane, in “Millionaire.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026

With its surging choruses and humorous arias and recitatives, to say nothing of its jazzy harmonies and dance rhythms, it possesses an irresistible satiric edge while still evoking American certitude amid Cold War challenges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

The whole point is that there was no common score, no assigned instruments, no blended harmonies.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• conformity
• consensus
• consistency
• cooperation
• friendship
• good will
• kinship
• peace
• rapport
• tranquility
• unanimity
• understanding
• unity