dissonance
/ˈdɪsənəns/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɪsənəns/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdi-sə-nən(t)s/ (ame, mw)
dissonance — noun
1. musical notes or sounds that clash when played together, making the listener fee
musical notes or sounds that clash when played together, making the listener feel tension rather than ease.
Eli winced at the dissonance when the choir hit the wrong chord halfway through the hymn.
the dissonance of [a moment in music]
Modern jazz uses dissonance on purpose to build tension before a calm resolution.
uses dissonance + purpose-clause
The composer mixed gentle melodies with sharp dissonance to suggest a brewing storm.
Haruto's piano teacher explained that some old composers feared dissonance and avoided it completely.
There is a sudden dissonance in the second movement that startles many first-time listeners.
- harmony
notes that blend pleasantly together
- consonance
the technical music opposite — chords that sound stable and restful
文法句型
the dissonance of [sounds/instruments]
create/produce dissonance
用法筆記
Often paired with 'resolution' in music writing — composers create dissonance and then resolve it to a stable chord. Both countable ('a sudden dissonance') and uncountable ('the dissonance of the chord') are accepted.
常見錯誤
2. a clear gap between two ideas, beliefs, or attitudes that should fit together bu
a clear gap between two ideas, beliefs, or attitudes that should fit together but do not, making the situation feel uneasy.
There was real dissonance between Samir's public speeches and the way he treated his staff at home.
dissonance between [A] and [B]
Voters noticed the dissonance in the party's message after two leaders gave opposite answers in one week.
dissonance in [a message/position]
Dahlia felt a quiet dissonance whenever her boss praised teamwork but rewarded only individual stars.
The report exposed a deep dissonance within the company over how to handle the data leak.
Years of dissonance between the two coaches finally pushed the club to sell one of them.
- discord
more general — covers both open conflict and inner unease
- tension
wider scope; tension can be productive, dissonance usually signals something unresolved
- incongruity
highlights two parts that simply don't fit; less emotionally loaded
- harmony
everything fits together, no clash
- consistency
stresses that beliefs and actions match over time
文法句型
dissonance between [A] and [B]
dissonance within [a group]
用法筆記
Often the gap is between words and actions, beliefs and behaviour, or two parts of one group's stated position. The famous psychology term 'cognitive dissonance' is built on this sense.