Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DISCORDANT
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connect today's word to others:
Let's start our exploration of the word discordant by recalling two very close synonyms of it.
Compared to our previous words disa_____ant and discon____nt, today’s discordant is the more common, less emphatic way to point out how bad or harsh things sound together, how terribly lacking they are in harmony.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"DISCORDANT"
"Accord" is harmony or agreement. And "discord" is a lack of harmony, or a lack of agreement. The "cord" in both of those words comes from a Latin word for "heart," the idea being that if we're in accord, our hearts are together--and if we're in discord, or if we're discordant, they're not.
In other words, the literal meaning of "discordant" is approximately, "with hearts apart."
Discordant things clash with each other. They don't match up. They’re different from each other in a way that makes us uncomfortable or suspicious, or they just don't look or sound good together.
And, sometimes, "discordant" means "arguing a lot, not getting along," as in "discordant sisters."
Pronunciation:
diss CORE dunt
Part of speech:
Adjective.
(Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late."
They can be used in two ways:
1. Right before a noun, as in "discordant things."
2. After a linking verb, as in "They were discordant.")
Other forms:
The nouns are "discord," "discordance," and "discordancy."
And, people who create discord are "discorders."
The adverb is "discordantly."
How to use it:
This is a common word that's best used for simple, straightforward descriptions.
Talk about discordant ideas, beliefs, opinions, philosophies, stories, accounts, and testimonies: those that conflict with each other.
Or, talk about discordant notes, sounds, images, and visuals: those that sound or look bad together even though they'd be fine on their own.
Even expressions, statements, decisions, events, results, and situations can be discordant—that is, they're out of keeping with what we expected or with what is normally done.
Finally, you can say that one thing is discordant with another thing: "her story is discordant with his."
examples:
The old book's advice on writing is still solid, but its constant reference to the writer as "he" strikes a discordant note.
"The breakfast salad at Carthage is not the discordant bowl of shredded kale, blueberries and quinoa that it may sound."
— Julia Moskni, New York Times, 24 July 2018
study it now:
Look away from the screen to define "discordant" without saying "jarring" or "lacking harmony."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "In light of (how things usually are), _____ seems discordant."
Example: "In light of the serious tone we expect in an academic paper, her expletive-riddled abstract seems discordant."
before you review:
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
Complete the Limerick!
In each issue this month, finish off the last line of the poem with a word or phrase we've checked out before.
From the previous issue:
The plot of Star Wars has been barbecued
By nit-picky critics with attitudes
Saying "Hey, that can’t happen,"
As if the attraction
Is in a film’s verisimilitude.
Try this one today:
As shoppers, we’re not so sagacious:
We fall prey to the common fallacious
Belief we’ll find solace
By shelling out dollars
But the satisfaction is _________.
review today's word:
1. The exact opposites of DISCORDANT are ACCORDANT and CONCORDANT.
But a close opposite of DISCORDANT is
A. CALCIFIED.
B. SIMPATICO.
C. VORACIOUS.
2. In their family, the worst sin is to _____: at all times, discord is to be kept _____.
A. air dirty laundry .. private
B. beat around the bush .. straightforward
C. tattle on a sibling .. sacred among each other
Answers are below.
a final word:
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From Liesl's blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. B
2. A
Let's start our exploration of the word discordant by recalling two very close synonyms of it.
"DISCORDANT" "Accord" is harmony or agreement. And "discord" is a lack of harmony, or a lack of agreement. The "cord" in both of those words comes from a Latin word for "heart," the idea being that if we're in accord, our hearts are together--and if we're in discord, or if we're discordant, they're not.
The old book's advice on writing is still solid, but its constant reference to the writer as "he" strikes a discordant note.
Look away from the screen to define "discordant" without saying "jarring" or "lacking harmony."
Fill in the blanks: "In light of (how things usually are), _____ seems discordant."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The exact opposites of DISCORDANT are ACCORDANT and CONCORDANT.
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |