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
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
Instruments and voices accumulate into immense, sustained, saturating dissonances, with a snare drum cutting through the tear-gas haze.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The extraordinary dissonance between his films’ classically cartoonish aesthetic and their thematic bleakness makes Vázquez one of the most singular and consistently surprising animation auteurs working today.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 May 2026
And then shifting chords where the harmonies overlap, so there’s a moment of dissonance.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 15 May 2026
Their rekindled relationship illustrates the dissonance of familial expectations and intimacy with a parent one barely knows.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissonance
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Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The extraordinary dissonance between his films’ classically cartoonish aesthetic and their thematic bleakness makes Vázquez one of the most singular and consistently surprising animation auteurs working today.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 May 2026
And then shifting chords where the harmonies overlap, so there’s a moment of dissonance.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 15 May 2026
Their rekindled relationship illustrates the dissonance of familial expectations and intimacy with a parent one barely knows.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissonance
Cite this Entry
“Dissonance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissonance. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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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