as in tuneless
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Recent Examples of atonal
Riley, a Northern California native, who has always exuded a Zen-like geniality, was part of a generation of young American composers who had turned away from audience-alienating atonal music, which had been proselytized by their teachers in the science-minded postwar academy.
—
William Robin, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
In fact, the entire film can't decide whether to embrace the silly or the serious — and yet somehow, that atonal balance works.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 3 Aug. 2025
In this new narrative, the history of atonal music’s liberation from the constraints of conventional Western music begins not in Europe but in Mexico.
—Julie Walsh, Artforum, 6 Dec. 2024
The songs’ shimmering melodies keep threatening to dissolve into the atonal, musically replicating the sense that oblivion lurks behind these walls decorated with Renoirs and Manets salvaged from civilization.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for atonal
William Robin, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
In fact, the entire film can't decide whether to embrace the silly or the serious — and yet somehow, that atonal balance works.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 3 Aug. 2025
In this new narrative, the history of atonal music’s liberation from the constraints of conventional Western music begins not in Europe but in Mexico.
—Julie Walsh, Artforum, 6 Dec. 2024
The songs’ shimmering melodies keep threatening to dissolve into the atonal, musically replicating the sense that oblivion lurks behind these walls decorated with Renoirs and Manets salvaged from civilization.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for atonal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atonal
Adjective
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Her aesthetics and tuneless vocals left audiences in awe and laughter.—
Raquel Willis,
Time,
19 June 2025
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For the rest of us, a real musical comedy is a cause for celebration; most are either too tuneless to be musicals or too dull to be comedies.—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
And since each state tax operates under its own often arcane rules, those costs can come as an unpleasant surprise.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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His rhetoric is unpleasant and extreme enough that he could not get confirmed to a university board in Florida.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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This is because there is a meaningful difference between disagreeing and being disagreeable.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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Another bill would put regulations around data centers, although lawmakers in the final days stripped out some of the language that tech companies found disagreeable.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
His swan song was often off-key.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Warming up, Smith throws back his head and belts Bieber lyrics, joyfully off-key.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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To accentuate her silver metallic gown, Twain rocked rocked full bangs teamed with long auburn tresses.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
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While Styles’ electro-pop almost always satisfies, the most awe-inspiring aspect of this production is the massive stage, flanked by two oversized video screens and centered by a metallic structure that looks like an inverted ski jump.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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The pacing is erratic and the sonorous voice-over narration doesn’t help either.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
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Metals are particularly sonorous, as anyone who has been around toddlers (and pots and pans) can testify.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atonal. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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