as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds
a very unmusical chorus of squawks from the angry ravens
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unmusical
Those songs remind Omara of real people and real events, political interludes whose senselessness and brutality have left unmusical lacunae in her life.
—
Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023
His parents were unmusical Russian-Jewish immigrants who ran various businesses with mixed success.
—The Economist, 3 Oct. 2019
Paradoxically, then, the man most involved in the development of the electric guitar was the unmusical Leo Fender.
—David Kirby, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019
The controversy of Schoenberg’s serialist works—the overwhelming reaction to them as ugly, nightmarish, simply unmusical—shows how firmly tonality had come to condition habits of listening.
—Paul Grimstad, The New Republic, 21 June 2018
Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023
His parents were unmusical Russian-Jewish immigrants who ran various businesses with mixed success.
—The Economist, 3 Oct. 2019
Paradoxically, then, the man most involved in the development of the electric guitar was the unmusical Leo Fender.
—David Kirby, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019
The controversy of Schoenberg’s serialist works—the overwhelming reaction to them as ugly, nightmarish, simply unmusical—shows how firmly tonality had come to condition habits of listening.
—Paul Grimstad, The New Republic, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmusical
Adjective
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As such, The Studio is shrill and talky, its chaotic scenes sparked by random performers like Charlize Theron, Zac Efron, Olivia Wilde and Sarah Polley, all of whom want something from Remick.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
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The shrill, metallic banging noises of a jack hammer echoed around the White House on Monday as crews started removing the large, yellow Black Lives Matter mural down the street from the president's home.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA TODAY,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Like any good house party, as many high schoolers can attest, the scene was a little chaotic, noisy and free flowing, in more ways than one.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
4 Apr. 2025
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Young planets orbit young stars, and young stars tend to be very noisy, which makes extracting the signals of their young planets all the more difficult.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Some of those weird dissonant chords, there’s some of that in there for sure.—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Possessed by the spirit of dance, an equally urgent soundtrack surrounds her: dissonant hoover synths, gospel-house pianos, Siouxsie and the Banshees’ guitars.—
Kristen S. Hé,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As horrible, unpleasant, miserable this work was, people had the most wonderful spirit.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
3 Apr. 2025
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Euphemisms are designed to obfuscate unpleasant truths.—
Zachariah Mampilly,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Available in metallic champagne, black, and brown, the Soul Tia Slip-On is built on a slick, white sole that’s grooved for extra flexibility, with a round toe box and 1.75-inch heel.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Apr. 2025
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Scientists also think that the atmosphere is populated with light-absorbing metallic gases such as sodium and potassium that help shroud the planet in darkness.—
Shi En Kim,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Setting Discordant Personal Goals A 2023 study published in Current Psychology finds that partners’ inharmonious goals can have detrimental effects on relationships.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
29 Mar. 2024
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For sixteen hours a week, Valentine hopes to share some melody in a place that, for some, can feel inharmonious.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
24 July 2021
Adjective
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The result is a cacophonous temper tantrum, a vacuous and perfidious advertisement for military recruitment.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2025
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Of the collection, Sundy Praia is the most luxurious, with 15 tented villas set where the cacophonous jungle meets the tawny coast.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unmusical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmusical. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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