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Glite Dictionary
🎵 Not in tune 📷 Not clear
unsharp

unsharp

7.9
Slightly lower in pitch than the correct note
  • adjective
  • /ʌnʃɑrp/
  • Specialized
translation icon : desafinado
  • The singer's final note was unsharp, making the ending sound slightly off.

Examples

  • If your instrument is unsharp, you should tune it before the performance.

  • The choir director noticed an unsharp tone in the soprano section during rehearsal.

  • The notes sounded unsharp during the performance.

  • Why does this guitar sound unsharp?

  • The choir director noticed an unsharp tone in the soprano section during rehearsal.

  • If your instrument is unsharp, you should tune it before the performance.

  • The singer's final note was unsharp, making the ending sound slightly off.

Synonyms

false
vsunsharp
2 6.1

Not in tune with the other notes

is specifically lower in pitch rather than any kind of inaccuracy
flattish
vsunsharp
4.6

Slightly lower in pitch than it should be

is more about general inaccuracy rather than only slight lowering
unattuned
vsunsharp
7.5

Not tuned to the correct musical pitch

refers to being lower in pitch rather than broadly untuned or uneasy
untuned
vsunsharp
5.3

Not at the right pitch and sounds wrong when played

describes tones that are lower rather than simply unadjusted

Antonyms

sharp
  • Specialized
13 5.5

A musical note that is one semitone higher

How In-Tune

in tune
31 3.7
out of tune
12 3.3
unsharp
  • Specialized
7.9
to flat
8 8.0

Surface Forms

unsharp positive

Morphology

unsharp = sharp (transparent) = un + sharp

A regular negative prefix 'un-' attaches to the adjective 'sharp' to mean 'not sharp' in both pitch and physical/visual senses.

Etymology

Unsharp is made from the prefix un- meaning 'not' and sharp meaning 'clear' or 'exact'. In music, this gives the idea 'not sharp' — a note that sounds a little low or out of tune.