1
Core quality
Lacking harmony, consistency, or agreement.
Example
The final chord sounds deliberately discordant.
discordant
/dɪsˈkɔːdənt/ · dis-KOR-duntadjective
Lacking harmony, consistency, or agreement.
Use discordant to express this relationship precisely: lacking harmony, consistency, or agreement.
What discordant Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
One survey produced findings discordant with the others.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
The cheerful design is discordant with the sombre subject.
Use discordant Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The final chord sounds deliberately discordant.
One survey produced findings discordant with the others.
The cheerful design is discordant with the sombre subject.
Precision Matters
Discordant overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
discordant
vs.Means lacking harmony, consistency, or agreement.
incongruous
Means not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings.
discordant
vs.Means lacking harmony, consistency, or agreement.
contrary to
Means in opposition to, or different from, what is stated or expected.
discordant
vs.Means lacking harmony, consistency, or agreement.
coherent
Means clear, logical, internally consistent, and forming a unified whole.
discordant
vs.Means lacking harmony, consistency, or agreement.
cacophony
Means a harsh, discordant, and confusing mixture of sounds.
Test discordant in Context
It conflicts with rather than agrees with the other evidence.
1
The third account is ___ with every independently dated record.