# dissonance

/ˈdɪsənəns/ (US) · /dˈɪsənəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dissonance
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. harsh sound

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a combination of musical notes that sound unpleasant, harsh, or unstable together.

For teachers: a combination of sounds or musical notes that are discordant or lack harmony, often creating a sense of tension.

- The composer used dissonance to make the audience feel nervous during the scary scene.
- Modernist composers often employed deliberate dissonance to challenge traditional expectations of melodic resolution and tonal stability.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the general quality of sound; countable when referring to specific instances in a score.

### 2. conflict of ideas

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a lack of agreement between two ideas, beliefs, or actions.

For teachers: a state of disagreement or inconsistency between beliefs, values, or actions, often resulting in tension.

- There is a dissonance between what the company says and how it treats its workers.
- The cognitive dissonance felt by the subjects was evident when their long-held beliefs were directly contradicted by the new empirical evidence.

Usage: Often appears in the phrase 'cognitive dissonance' in psychological contexts.

## Examples

- The modern piece was full of musical dissonance.
- The dissonance between the politician's promises and his actual voting record made the public lose trust in him.
- While classical composers used dissonance sparingly to create temporary tension, many twentieth-century avant-garde artists embraced it as a primary structural element to challenge traditional notions of beauty.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.