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unharmonious

unharmonious

7.3
Not pleasing together in sound, color or feeling
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈhɑːrməniəs/
translation icon : desarmonioso
  • What if that music, as Thoreau puts it, is an unharmonious clamoring—or, more problematical, if there is no sound at all?

Examples

  • The unharmonious sounds from the construction site disrupted the peaceful atmosphere of the neighborhood.

  • And then we can become bigger, but to be unharmonious amongst us.

  • But to be unharmonious amongst us and then now try to, OK, let's have a goal and change the world.

  • Despite our hopes and wishes, it has become a graceless stagger, unharmonious, disingenuous, and decidedly not miraculous.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Their unharmonious ideas caused constant disagreements during the meeting, making it hard to reach a decision.

  • The painting was criticized for its unharmonious colors that clashed rather than complemented each other.

Synonyms

discordant
vsunharmonious
9 7.4

Not fitting together and often clashing in sound or opinion

is about not forming a pleasing whole rather than harsh conflict
dissonant
vsunharmonious
1 7.1

Colors, opinions, or sounds that do not match and seem to clash

is milder, focused on missing a pleasing or consistent whole
inharmonious
vsunharmonious
1 8.3

Things that do not look or sound pleasant together

is identical in meaning but differs only as an alternative form
disharmonious
vsunharmonious
1 7.8

Not fitting together, like clashing sounds or colors

highlights failure to form a pleasing or consistent whole
disharmonic
vsunharmonious
8.2

Not matching other things in look, feeling, or ideas

focuses on not producing a pleasing or consistent whole
inconsonant
vsunharmonious
9.8

Not in agreement with something else

applies to lack of a pleasing consistent overall unity
inharmonic
vsunharmonious
9.9

A sound that does not fit with other tones and seems rough

is broader, applying to any lack of a pleasing consistent whole

Antonyms

18 1.0

Pleasant to be with or to experience

2 4.2

Sounds that blend in a pleasant way

How Harmonious

melodious
7 4.0
harmonious
7 4.3
unharmonious
7.3
discordant
9 7.4

Surface Forms

unharmonious positive
unharmoniouser comparative
unharmoniousest superlative

Morphology

unharmonious = harmonious (transparent) = un + harmon + ious

The prefix 'un-' clearly negates the meaning of 'harmonious', making the word's meaning directly derived from its components.

Etymology

Unharmonious begins with un- meaning 'not' and the rest comes from harmony, which means 'agreement' or 'fit'. So unharmonious describes things that do not fit or sound well together, like clashing colors or voices.