People use words each day to express their feelings, experience, or share stories. But most people do not take the time to think about “discord,” what it means beyond “lack of harmony or agreement,” and how it is used. You need to keenly look at the word and how you can use it in different sentences and contexts.
Discord means that people are not in agreement or have a conflict of interest or ideas. It also implies strife, tension, lack of harmony, dissension, discordance, dissonance, or disagreement. It is used when groups that should get along disagree. Discord can also mean “harsh and not harmonious.”
Let’s have a detailed overview of the meaning of the word “discord,” its spelling, how to use it in sentences, history and etymology, and much more about the word. With this information, you can confidently use the word in any context.
What Is the Definition of Discord?
Discord is used when there’s a “clash” or “disagreement” between people or things. For example, have you ever been in a situation where you disagree with the other party? If so, you can use the word discord to describe these situations.
A common mistake people use when using the word discord is alternating it with words like “uncoordinated,” “unbalanced,” or “unpleasant.” But this is not always correct. Discord is a word that is more complex than what most people know.
In fact, the correct synonyms of discord describe a disagreement, divide, fissure, falling-out, row, and spat. When it comes to antonyms, harmony, accord, and agreement top the list.
You’ve probably come across different forms of the word. Well, discord has many other words that relate to it. Here is a look at these words and their definition.
- Discorded: Lack of concord
- Disaccording: Failing to synchronize or to agree
- Disaccord: To have a varied opinion or fail to harmonize
- Discordance: Not having consistency
What Is the Meaning Of Discord?
The word discord has several meanings. In addition to disagreement between people, parties, groups, and products, The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines “discord” as a lack of harmony on music notes.
The best way to simplify the word discord is when you have musicals that don’t coordinate. Have you heard people playing different musical tones that fail to harmonize? That’s an example of “discord musical sound,” which means that the sound produced is more like noise or harsh even though it is musical. It can also show a lack of coordination between instruments or musical tones.
You can also apply the word discord to political parties, foods, or tones of a given topic. For example, when used in the cooking environment, it can show that the ingredients you are using do not coordinate, and your recipe output might not come out as expected. The same applies to instances listed earlier.
How to Use Discord in a Sentence?
The word discord can be used as a noun or verb. What matters is the nature of your sentence and what you want to communicate. However, know if the word fits the context to avoid making grammar mistakes.
As A Noun and Verb
Use “discord” to tell of a situation with no coordination, and you do not want to be blunt about it. The word is best used when you do not wish to offend those you talk to by being too straightforward about a disagreement. As a noun, discord stands out as a word with a lot of attention.
The word can also describe a situation where there is disagreement. Example: For a long time, the town has been known to be a stage of discord or radical prejudice. The sentence shows that the people who live in this town do not live in harmony.
Also, use discord to describe a situation where there is a war, clash, or competitive rivalry. Example: It is time the two countries put their discord to rest to avoid endangering the lives of their citizens. Here, discord shows the conflict that leads to war or fight.
When it comes to producing music or melody, discord as a noun is a better way of showcasing the situation: the sound was terrible. An example is Earl went hard on the drums, producing a sound of discord. In the sentence, Earl did not play the drum well.
As a verb, the word discord is best used as discordance, which means friction and not having an agreement, competition, dispute, or variance. For instance, there is always discordance when Jeff does our totals in the accounts.
10 Examples of Discord in a Sentence
Now that you’ve read about discord, you’ll encounter this word multiple times. If you don’t know the best applications, you can’t tell whether the writer or author has used it correctly. And that’s why we have to show how to use the word exhaustively.
Here are ten examples you need to study because they demonstrate the various ways you can use the word “discord” in a sentence.
- Despite the lengthy discord between the couple, they did not show any sign, even to the kids.
- Mary hated discord, so she did question anything he said for peace of mind and love.
- Many wondered if she had prescient knowledge of the discord in the family.
- For not agreeing on where the boundary should be, discord crept into the unity of the two neighbors, and things didn’t end well.
- The judges’ expectations were not met because the two responses from the panel were in discord.
- Carl was struggling in class due to discord between him and the teachers.
- Her vacuous attitude is what is causing the discord in our group.
- The single cause of discord in relationships is avarice.
- The discord on COVID-19 vaccination is confusing the world, and everyone is uncertain of the best way to handle it.
- The cheering squad produced sounds of discord.
- Replacing the pianist at the last minute was not the best choice as it led to the sound of discord when the choir was performing.
- There has been a rise of a good deal of discord between the software among the designers.
How Do You Spell Discord?
The word “discord” is spelled using a dull “di” and a strong “s” and “c” sound, and then the “o” and “d” go together. The “r” in the word is silent.
Having the correct spelling of the word will help improve your written and spoken language skills. If at any time you miss the correct spelling, you’ll have diverted your audience’s attention.
How Do You Pronounce Discord?
The American pronunciation is /di·skord/ and British pronunciation is /di·skawd/.
Some accents pronounce the word as “discard” since the “r” is silent. It’s easy to pronounce the word, but a few try to add the “r” sound in the pronunciation, which is incorrect.
How Many Syllables Are In Discord?
The word “discord” has two syllables. It’s divided into two “dis” and “cord.” The stressed syllable in the word is “cord.” You can divide these syllables as “dis” and “kord” or “kawd” for perfect pronunciation.
Synonyms Of The Word “Discord”
- Divisions
- Conflicts
- Discordances
- Contentions
- Incompatibilities
- Disputes
- Disharmonies
Antonyms Of The Word “Discord”
- Concordances
- Peace
- Accords
- Agreements
- Concords
- Harmonies
- Agrees
History and Etymology of Discord
Discord can trace its roots from the Latin language. The word’s origin can give you an idea of its meaning. Latin used the prefix “dis” to show that things are a part which is the first part of the word “discord.”
The Latin derived it from the word discordia to mean dispute or disagreement. It’s one of the words that have been in use in the English language for the longest. That notwithstanding, the words come out unique whenever written or orally pronounced.
As mentioned above, the word origins are Latin, the name given to the Roman goddess of Discordia, identified with the Greek goddess known as Eris. The Roman goddess Discord and the Greek goddess Eris are strife and discord. So it is no wonder Latin used the word discordia to express a situation where there is a dispute or conflict.
In the 13th Century, the English speakers then borrowed the word from the French and used it as “discord.” Other close words are descorde or descort, French words that mean disagreement.
When Was Discord First Used?
The word “discord” was derived from the French in the 13th Century. Some sources reveal that discord was first introduced in the 1230s.
The good thing is the everyday use and application of the word from the first day of use until now hasn’t changed. People continue to use the word every day to show situations where there is conflict or disagreement. Discord is a polite way of saying there is a rift, trouble, or conflict.
Conclusion
Discord is a word used to describe different scenarios or contexts where there is a lack of coordination. Most dictionaries define it as a “disagreement between people” or “lack of agreement between people and ideas, etc.” And most common, “an unpleasant combination of musical notes.”
In this era, communication is essential, and if you do not know the correct spelling or usage of a word, you might miss a lot. People must misunderstand your message. Luckily, this article helps you understand the word discord and the best way to use it.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.