dissonance

noun
UK: /ˈdɪs.ə.nəns/
US: /ˈdɪs.ə.nəns/

  1. A lack of agreement or harmony; a clash or incompatibility.

    1. There is dissonance between what he says and what he does.
    2. The political dissonance within the party made it difficult to pass any legislation.

  2. A combination of musical notes that sound unpleasant or harsh when played together.

    1. The dissonance in the music made me feel uneasy.
    2. The composer used dissonance to create a feeling of tension and unease in the audience.

  3. Psychological discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or values.

    1. He felt dissonance after lying to his friend.
    2. Cognitive dissonance can lead people to change their attitudes or behavior to reduce the discomfort.

Synonyms

discord disharmony conflict incompatibility friction strife
dissonance verb

  1. To create an effect of disharmony or disagreement.

    1. The loud music dissonanced with the quiet atmosphere.
    2. His actions dissonanced sharply with the company's stated values and created internal conflict.
dissonance adjective

  1. Characterized by a lack of harmony or agreement; clashing.

    1. The dissonant sounds hurt my ears.
    2. The dissonant voices of the protestors were heard throughout the city during the march.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "dissonance" in English means: A lack of agreement or harmony; a clash or incompatibility., A combination of musical notes that sound unpleasant or harsh when played together., Psychological discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or values..

The phonetic transcription of "dissonance" is /ˈdɪs.ə.nəns/ in British English and /ˈdɪs.ə.nəns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "dissonance": discord, disharmony, conflict, incompatibility, friction, strife.

Example usage of "dissonance": "There is dissonance between what he says and what he does.". More examples on the page.