dissonant
DISS-uh-nunt
/ˈdɪs.ə.nənt/
Lacking harmony; clashing or unsuitable in combination.
In music, it refers to chords that sound 'unstable' or 'harsh'; metaphorically, it refers to ideas or people that don't fit together.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'dissonare,' meaning 'to sound apart.' It describes sounds that are moving in different directions rather than blending into one.
Word relationships
- discordant: Discordant is a near-synonym but often implies a harsher, more unpleasant sound than dissonant.
- clashing: Clashing is more visual; dissonant is more auditory or conceptual.
- harmonious: Harmonious sounds or ideas blend together perfectly.
- consonant: Consonant sounds are pleasing and stable to the ear.
Commonly confused with
- cacophonous: Cacophonous means a harsh mixture of sounds; dissonant means a lack of harmony between specific notes.
Word family
- dissonance (noun): A lack of harmony among musical notes or people's ideas.
Collocations
- dissonant chords
- dissonant voices
- cognitive dissonance
Example sentences
- "The composer used dissonant chords to create a sense of anxiety and tension in the film's soundtrack." Describing modern music.
- "The bright, cheerful wallpaper was dissonant with the somber, dark furniture of the room." Describing a social situation.
Memory hook
Dissonant sounds like 'distance'. The notes have too much 'distance' between them to sound good together. Sounding apart.
When not to use
Don't use for a simple 'noise'; it implies a relationship between two things that don't match.
Fun facts
- In psychology, 'cognitive dissonance' is the mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs.
Related words
Explore more words
dissonance, discord, clash, dissension, disparate, disconnect
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