dissonance

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

To put it plainly: Julian’s imitations lacked the vivacity that made his art unique, resulting in an uncanny dissonance between idea and result.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026

As if this wasn’t ominous enough, the latest BofA Securities fund-manager’s survey shows that Wall Street is, once again, experiencing severe cognitive dissonance: It is simultaneously worried about the market, but afraid to sell.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

In trying to disassociate herself from the scandal, Melania’s lack of acknowledgment of her husband’s ties to Epstein stands out as a confusing, but increasingly familiar, bit of cognitive dissonance.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

For some, the LP may be gorgeous to a fault—musically, there’s very little friction or dissonance on the album, nothing harsh to dislodge you from the spell the record casts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

But consonance and dissonance do also have a strong physical basis in nature.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones