What does "dissonance" mean?
A harsh, discordant combination of sounds.
Dissonance
noun
noun ·3 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A harsh, discordant combination of sounds.
- Grammar: dissonance is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: antagonism, antipathies, argumentation, atonalism.
- Useful contrasts: greek tonos, accord, affinity for music.
- Usage evidence: Her conflicting desires to consume chocolate and to lose weight resulted in her experiencing cognitive dissonance.
How to use "dissonance"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dissonance" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dissonance" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dissonance" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A harsh, discordant combination of sounds. countable, uncountable
- 2 disagreeable sounds wordnet
- 3 Conflicting notes that are not overtones of the note or chord sounding. countable, uncountable
- 4 the auditory experience of sound that lacks musical quality; sound that is a disagreeable auditory experience wordnet
- 5 A state of disagreement or conflict. uncountable
"Cognitive dissonance exists when a person possesses two cognitions, one of which is contradictory to the other"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 a conflict of people's opinions or actions or characters wordnet
- 7 An instance of that state. countable
"In this polyphony of images in the unconscious which is beyond and outside historical time, there are complex harmonies but no dissonances: the images do not clash, but that, of course, is an aesthetic judgment and not a scientific one."
Example
"Her conflicting desires to consume chocolate and to lose weight resulted in her experiencing cognitive dissonance."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dissonance"?
Common synonyms include: antagonism, antipathies, argumentation, atonalism, atonality, cacophonies.
How do you use "dissonance" in a sentence?
Her conflicting desires to consume chocolate and to lose weight resulted in her experiencing cognitive dissonance.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French dissonance, from Latin dissonantia; by surface analysis, dis- + son- + -ance.