The orchestra makes discordant noises when tuning up.
Source: tatoeba (1917)
Discordant
/dɪsˈkɔːdn̩t/
Synonyms for "discordant" (191 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (39)
Adjective(5 words)
absonantadversativeadverseadversiveantagonisticantiantipatheticantitheticantitheticalantonymousassortedat cross purposesat cross-purposesat loggerheadsat oddsat varianceat waratonalbalancingcacophonic
Verb(1 words)
Noun(2 words)
color mismatch orderconflicting goals
Strong matches (57)
contrastedcontrastingconversecountercounterbalancingcounterpoisedcountervailingcrackedcrankycrossdead againstdepartingdeviatingdeviativediaphonicdifferentdifferentiateddifferingdisaccordantdisagreeable
Show 31 more words
disagreeingdisconsonantdiscrepantdiscretediscriminateddisharmonicdisharmoniousdisjoineddisparatedisproportionatedissentientdissidentdissimilardissonantdistinctdistinguisheddivergentdivergingdiversdiversediversifiedeyeball to eyeballfactiousflatgratingharshheterogeneoushostileimmelodiousimmisciblein disagreement
Verb(2 words)
Adjective(4 words)
Related words (95)
inaccordantinappropriateincoherentincompatibleincongruentincongruousinconsistentinconsonantinharmonicinharmoniousinimicalinverseirreconcilablejanglingjarringmanymismatchedmotleymultifariousmusicless
Show 57 more words
negativenoisynonmelodiousobverseoffoff coloroff keyoff-coloroff-keyoff-toneopposedopposingoppositeoppositionaloppositiveoppugnantout of accordout of pitchout of toneout of tuneout of whackperversepoles apartpoles asunderraggedraucousrepugnantreverseroughrudeseparateseparatedseveralsharpshrillsoursquared offstridenttunelessunconformableuncongenialunequalunfitunharmoniousunlikeunmelodiousunmusicaluntunableuntuneduntunefulvariantvariedvariegatedvariousvaryingwidely apartworlds apart
Adjective(12 words)
incompatibleincompatible componentinconsistentinterpersonal discordmismatchedmusical discordmutual inconsistencypoor team chemistrysocial discordunfittingunharmonious intervalunmelodic
Noun(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: dissonant, inharmonic, absonant, adversative, adverse.
- Sentence evidence is available for discordant, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "discordant".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "discordant"
Keep "discordant" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "discordant" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "discordant", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "discordant" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
6 entriesdiscordant chordsdiscordant datadiscordant findingsdiscordant melodydiscordant notediscordant opinions
Inflections
2 entriesmore discordantmost discordant
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
8 entriesTranslations
50 translations across 25 languages.
Arabic
1 entries- مُتَنَافِر adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Armenian
1 entries- անհամաձայն adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- diskordant adj (of a rock formation, etc.: cutting across or transverse to neighbouring features; of a coastline: having bands of different types of rock running transversely to the coast)
Bulgarian
2 entries- несъгласуван adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- нехармоничен adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Catalan
1 entries- discordant adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Chinese Mandarin
4 entries- 不一致 adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- 不和 adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- 不睦 adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- 不調和 /不调和 adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Finnish
4 entries- diskordantti adj (of a rock formation, etc.: cutting across or transverse to neighbouring features; of a coastline: having bands of different types of rock running transversely to the coast)
- epäsointuinen adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- eripurainen adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- riitasointuinen adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
French
1 entries- discordant adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Georgian
1 entries- შეუფერებელი adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
German
3 entries- disharmonisch adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- misshellig adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- missklingend adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Irish
2 entries- ainfhreagrach adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- dainfhreagrach adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Italian
4 entries- difforme adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- discordante adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- dissonante adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- stonato adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Latin
3 entries- absonō adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- discordābilis adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- discors adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Macedonian
1 entries- несложен adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Māori
1 entries- maioro adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Norwegian Bokmål
2 entries- diskordant adj (of a rock formation, etc.: cutting across or transverse to neighbouring features; of a coastline: having bands of different types of rock running transversely to the coast)
- ukonform adj (of a rock formation, etc.: cutting across or transverse to neighbouring features; of a coastline: having bands of different types of rock running transversely to the coast)
Old English
1 entries- unġeþwǣre adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Polish
2 entries- niezgodny adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- różny adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Portuguese
1 entries- discordante adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Romanian
2 entries- discordant adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- discordă adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Russian
1 entries- несогласо́ванный adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Scottish Gaelic
2 entries- eas-chridheach adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- mì-chòrdail adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Serbo-Croatian
4 entries- nèsložan adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- nȅskladan adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- не̏складан adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- нѐсложан adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Spanish
3 entries- desacorde adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- discordante adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- discordante adj (of a rock formation, etc.: cutting across or transverse to neighbouring features; of a coastline: having bands of different types of rock running transversely to the coast)
Welsh
2 entries- anghyson adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
- anghytûn adj (not in accord or harmony — see also conflicting, incompatible)
Sample sentences
20 total sentences available.
Every chord, every harmony, every discordant note fills me with immense joy.
Source: tatoeba (1264832)
The 21st century composition was so discordant that it felt as though the performer was murdering the Steinway grand piano.
Source: tatoeba (3287805)
He laughed with a metallic and discordant sound.
Source: tatoeba (6831570)
Showing 4 of 20 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "discordant"?
Closest matches include dissonant, inharmonic, absonant, adversative, adverse.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "discordant"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.