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Glite Dictionary
⏱️ Not lasting 🎵 Short or detached
nonsustained

nonsustained

6.8
Made short in music so each note ends quickly
  • adjective
  • /ˌnɒn.səˈsteɪnd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no sostenido
  • The pianist played the chords in a nonsustained manner, making each note distinct.

Examples

  • A nonsustained sound can add a sense of urgency to the music.

  • The nonsustained notes in the piece create a unique rhythm.

  • The conductor requested a nonsustained approach to the notes in this section.

  • A nonsustained sound can add tension to the performance.

  • The conductor asked the musicians to play with a nonsustained style, emphasizing the short bursts of sound.

  • During the performance, the violins produced a nonsustained tone that highlighted the urgency of the passage.

  • The composer chose a nonsustained approach to convey a feeling of fleeting moments in the piece.

Synonyms

short-lived
vsnonsustained
49 3.9

Lasting only for a short time

focuses on short detached musical sound rather than general short duration
nonlegato
vsnonsustained
  • Specialized
8.4

Played with small gaps between notes so they are not smoothly connected

describes a short detached sound focused on brief duration
unsustained
vsnonsustained
6.5

Not kept for a long time

specifies a brief, not held sound especially in music

Antonyms

sustained
22 3.9

Lasting a long time without stopping or getting weaker

How Sustained

nonsustained
  • Specialized
6.8
clipped
6.5
staccato
  • Specialized
3 7.3

Surface Forms

nonsustained positive

Morphology

nonsustained = sustained (transparent) = non + sustain + ed

The adjective describes a sound that is 'not sustained'—a direct negation using the productive prefix 'non-'.

Etymology

Nonsustained is made from non- ('not') and sustain ('hold' or 'keep up'), so it literally means 'not held'. That is why a nonsustained musical note is played short or detached instead of long and held.