Word
Of
The
Day
dissonant
dissonant \DISS-uh-nunt\
adjective
Dissonant typically describes music that is not in harmony, or sounds and notes that clash. In non-music contexts,
dissonant describes things that clash by not being in agreement or by not fitting well together.
// The guitarist struck a
dissonant chord.
// The retrospective provided a sometimes
dissonant journey through the artist's decades of work.
See the entry >
Examples:
"Their disparate sonic elements form a
dissonant but cohesive whole, wisps of trumpet and electronic woodwinds flashing by as quickly as flickering subway car lights." — Sam Goldner,
Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
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