discord

1 of 2

noun

dis·​cord ˈdi-ˌskȯrd 

1

a

: lack of agreement or harmony (as between persons, things, or ideas)

… must we fall into the jabber and babel of discord while victory is still unattained?

—Sir Winston Churchill

b

: active quarreling or conflict resulting from discord among persons or factions : strife

marital discord

discord between the two parties

2

a music

(1)

: a combination of musical sounds that strikes the ear harshly

(2)

: dissonance

The song ends on a discord.

b

: a harsh or unpleasant sound

discord

2 of 2

verb

dis·​cord ˈdi-ˌskȯrd 

di-ˈskȯrd

discorded; discording; discords

intransitive verb

: disagree, clash

Synonyms

Noun

• conflict
• disaccord
• discordance
• discordancy
• disharmony
• dissension
• dissention
• dissent
• dissidence
• dissonance
• disunion
• disunity
• division
• friction
• infighting
• inharmony
• schism
• strife
• variance
• war
• warfare

Verb

• clash
• collide
• conflict
• disaccord
• jar

Choose the Right Synonym for discord

discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony.

discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Examples of discord in a Sentence

Noun

The city has long been known as a scene of racial intolerance and discord.

The song ends on a discord.

Verb

the evangelist's lavish lifestyle discords with his professed religious beliefs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

By manipulating public discourse, experts said China seeks to amplify discord on sensitive topics while diverting attention from international matters. —Barbara Booth, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2024

The discord spilled out in the open following a period of upheaval for everyone working at CBS News and Paramount Global, which is poised to be sold to Skydance Media in a deal slated to close in the first half of 2025. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2024

The cultivation of rationality and compassion can go a long way toward remedying and even precluding various human behaviors and societal ills without the superfluous discord that moral judgments and attitudes so often introduce. —The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024

Now they’re engulfed in discord, their fate to be decided by humans who can’t agree whether to actively manage the area through clear-cutting or to leave it alone. —Laura Yale, Outside Online, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English descorde, discord, from Anglo-French descorde, from Latin discordia, from discord-, discors — see discord entry 2

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French descorder, from Latin discordare, from discord-, discors discordant, from dis- + cord-, cor heart — more at heart

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

discord

noun

dis·​cord

ˈdis-ˌkȯ(ə)rd

1

: lack of agreement or harmony : conflict

discord between political parties

2

a

: a harsh combination of musical sounds

b

: a harsh or unpleasant sound