dissonant

/ˈdɪsənənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɪsənənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdi-sə-nənt/ (ame, mw)

dissonant — adjective

  • dissonantpositive
  • more dissonantcomparative
  • most dissonantsuperlative

1. describing musical notes or sounds that clash and feel harsh or unsettled to the

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describing musical notes or sounds that clash and feel harsh or unsettled to the ear, with no sense of being resolved

例句

Lakan's teacher held a dissonant chord and asked which note felt wrong.

attributive: dissonant + chord/note/interval

The film's score grew dissonant whenever the killer entered the room.

predicative: become/grow + dissonant

同義詞
  • discordant

    near-identical in music; slightly more common in everyday writing

  • jarring

    broader; covers any unpleasant sensation, not only sound

  • atonal

    technical music term; means without a fixed key, not just clashing

反義詞
  • harmonious

    notes that blend pleasantly together

  • melodic

    having a pleasing, singable line

用法筆記

Frequently attributive with musical nouns (chord, note, interval, harmony, passage). Often paired with verbs of perception (sound, feel, grow). Distinguish from sense 2 by context: this sense is about literal acoustic clash, almost always within music or sound design.

常見錯誤

❌The car horn was very dissonant outside my window.
✅The car horn was very harsh outside my window.
💡'dissonant' is used for musical or deliberately clashing sounds, not for everyday loud noises.

2. describing ideas, facts, or choices that do not fit together, especially when th

2.形容詞C2
釋義

describing ideas, facts, or choices that do not fit together, especially when the mismatch feels strange or troubling

例句

Adina found her boss's friendly emails dissonant with his cold tone in meetings.

pattern: dissonant with + noun for clashing pairs

The mayor's promises on clean air sounded dissonant beside his vote for the coal plant.

pattern: dissonant beside / alongside, contrasting two acts

同義詞
  • incongruous

    more common in writing; emphasises the oddness of the mismatch

  • incompatible

    stronger; suggests the two things cannot coexist at all

  • at odds

    more conversational; usually with 'with'

反義詞

文法句型

dissonant + with + noun

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense never refers to actual sound. Common pattern is 'dissonant with [a competing fact or value]'. Often appears in academic writing about cognitive dissonance, politics, or art criticism.

常見錯誤

❌Her two opinions were dissonant.
✅Her two opinions were dissonant with each other.
💡when describing a mismatch, name what the thing clashes with, or readers will guess at the comparison.