as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds
a very unmusical chorus of squawks from the angry ravens
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Recent Examples of unmusical
Those songs remind Omara of real people and real events, political interludes whose senselessness and brutality have left unmusical lacunae in her life.
—
Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023
His parents were unmusical Russian-Jewish immigrants who ran various businesses with mixed success.
—The Economist, 3 Oct. 2019
Paradoxically, then, the man most involved in the development of the electric guitar was the unmusical Leo Fender.
—David Kirby, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019
The controversy of Schoenberg’s serialist works—the overwhelming reaction to them as ugly, nightmarish, simply unmusical—shows how firmly tonality had come to condition habits of listening.
—Paul Grimstad, The New Republic, 21 June 2018
Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023
His parents were unmusical Russian-Jewish immigrants who ran various businesses with mixed success.
—The Economist, 3 Oct. 2019
Paradoxically, then, the man most involved in the development of the electric guitar was the unmusical Leo Fender.
—David Kirby, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019
The controversy of Schoenberg’s serialist works—the overwhelming reaction to them as ugly, nightmarish, simply unmusical—shows how firmly tonality had come to condition habits of listening.
—Paul Grimstad, The New Republic, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmusical
Adjective
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With the start of the invasion in 2022, Mironov dropped that charade and became one of the shrillest cheerleaders for Putin and the war.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
17 July 2025
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While democratic Taiwan has long been used to those threats, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the increasingly shrill rhetoric from Chinese leader Xi Jinping and conflict in the Middle East have thrown into sharp relief what could be at stake if peace falters.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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America’s fastest-growing sport is also widely considered to be one of its noisiest, and the constant pops of plastic pickleballs smacking against paddles have proven to be too much to bear for many residents of dwellings close proximity to pickleball courts.—
Nicole R. Kurtz,
Miami Herald,
31 July 2025
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Because when the world gets noisy, leadership gets real.—
Reid Rasner,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Uneasy strings soundtrack a creature’s tentative first steps out of the primordial sea, and intense, dissonant horns blare as a T. rex engages in an epic battle with a powerful planet eater.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
23 July 2025
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His disjointed, dissonant rhythms were his attempt to accompany the chaos — like providing a real-time soundtrack to a strange silent movie.—
David Kushner,
Rolling Stone,
20 July 2025
Adjective
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Tribalism can and does spill over into much more unpleasant areas, from basic name-calling to more insidious abuse.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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Disruptions in the ratio, like when there’s too much estrogen vs. testosterone, can cause unpleasant symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, and fatigue.—
Caitlin Pagán,
Verywell Health,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Dental molds, metallic wiring, scraps of paper with little drawings and designs are everywhere in the small storefront in Liberty City, which for 40 years has been a cultural staple for anyone looking for a set of grillz.—
Cordell Jones,
Miami Herald,
31 July 2025
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By August, Loeb announced that early analysis suggested the metallic spherules were composed of substance unmatched to any existing alloys in our solar system.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Setting Discordant Personal Goals A 2023 study published in Current Psychology finds that partners’ inharmonious goals can have detrimental effects on relationships.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
29 Mar. 2024
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For sixteen hours a week, Valentine hopes to share some melody in a place that, for some, can feel inharmonious.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
24 July 2021
Adjective
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Cramming his wide screen with the comings and goings of a 24-character ensemble, Altman creates an incredible, cacophonous entertainment, equal parts comedy and tragedy, featuring terrific original songs and an unforgettable ending.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
18 July 2025
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This year's trip to Thailand was an exercise in incivility and taboo-breaking, a cacophonous symphony of troubled souls colliding amid Mai Tais and monkeys.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unmusical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmusical. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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