dissonance
noun
dis·so·nance
ˈdi-sə-nən(t)s 
1
a
: lack of agreement
the dissonance between the truth and what people want to believe
especially
: inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one's actions and one's beliefs compare cognitive dissonance
b
: an instance of such inconsistency or disagreement
the mingling of bitter comedy and stark tragedy produces sharp dissonances—
F. B. Millett
F. B. Millett2
: a mingling of sounds that strike the ear harshly : a mingling of discordant sounds
especially, music
: a clashing or unresolved musical interval or chord
Synonyms
Examples of dissonance in a Sentence
the dissonance between what we are told and what we see with our own eyes
Recent Examples on the Web
These rituals also help to ensure that emotional dissonance doesn’t take root and that both partners stay connected on a deeper level.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2025
Some of their ideas are quite traditional, which adds extra dissonance to their makeover as hip, happy urbanites.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2025
Klar said the pull of partisan politics helps explain a kind of national dissonance on the riot.
—Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 3 Jan. 2025
The show opens with the rumble of Tuvan throat singing and the piercing dissonance of Bulgarian harmony, but most of what follows is a smooth surface untroubled by such disturbances.
—Brian Seibert, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dissonance 
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Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2025
Some of their ideas are quite traditional, which adds extra dissonance to their makeover as hip, happy urbanites.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2025
Klar said the pull of partisan politics helps explain a kind of national dissonance on the riot.
—Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 3 Jan. 2025
The show opens with the rumble of Tuvan throat singing and the piercing dissonance of Bulgarian harmony, but most of what follows is a smooth surface untroubled by such disturbances.
—Brian Seibert, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dissonance
Dictionary Entries Near dissonance
Cite this Entry
“Dissonance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissonance. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dissonance
noun
dis·so·nance
ˈdis-ə-nən(t)s
: an unpleasant combination of musical sounds
Medical Definition
dissonance
noun
dis·so·nance
ˈdis-ə-nən(t)s
: inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one's actions and one's beliefs see cognitive dissonance
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