DISCORD Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'discord' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of discord are conflict , contention , dissension , strife , and variance . While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism. // a political party long racked by discord

Q: When can 'conflict' be used instead of 'discord'?

The words conflict and discord can be used in similar contexts, but conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires. // the conflict of freedom and responsibility

Q: When is it sensible to use 'contention' instead of 'discord'?

The meanings of contention and discord largely overlap; however, contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy. // several points of contention about the new zoning law

Q: When would 'dissension' be a good substitute for 'discord'?

In some situations, the words dissension and discord are roughly equivalent. However, dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions. // religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Q: When could 'strife' be used to replace 'discord'?

While the synonyms strife and discord are close in meaning, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved. // during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

Q: When is 'variance' a more appropriate choice than 'discord'?

Although the words variance and discord have much in common, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest. // cultural variances that work against a national identity

discord 1 of 2

noun

ˈdi-ˌskȯrd

Definition of discord

as in strife

a lack of agreement or harmony the discord between two of the members threatened to tear our team of researchers apart

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

discord

2 of 2

verb

ˈdi-ˌskȯrd

as in to conflict

to be out of harmony or agreement usually noticeably the evangelist's lavish lifestyle discords with his professed religious beliefs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun discord contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of discord are conflict, contention, dissension, strife, and variance. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When can conflict be used instead of discord?

The words conflict and discord can be used in similar contexts, but conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

When is it sensible to use contention instead of discord?

The meanings of contention and discord largely overlap; however, contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When would dissension be a good substitute for discord?

In some situations, the words dissension and discord are roughly equivalent. However, dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

When could strife be used to replace discord?

While the synonyms strife and discord are close in meaning, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

When is variance a more appropriate choice than discord?

Although the words variance and discord have much in common, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of discord

Noun

The Monitor's View Attempts by Russia and others to sow political and ethnic discord are countered by religious leaders, the press, and government – all holding truth aloft. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026 Police have not revealed a motive for the attack, but court records exposed months of discord that appeared to be worsening. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026 At a time of international discord, supporting Syria’s future has become a rare point of consensus – and the reason largely lies in geography. — Tala Alrajjal, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 The woman’s vanity and the husband’s forgetfulness collide to sow chaos and discord in the house. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for discord

Recent Examples of Synonyms for discord

Noun

Attorney General James Uthmeier is bringing plenty of strife to Discord, the messaging and gaming platform.

— CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Australia was in strife at 124-6 on day one but his 190 turned the momentum.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of strife

Verb

Separate challenges to the law divided two federal circuit courts, which issued conflicting decisions in April, only 11 days apart.

— Michael Kunzelman, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Competing theories and conflicting evidence point to two possibilities for how Mars got its moons.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of conflict

Noun

Washington, for its part, is creating friction in many of its partnerships instead of deepening them, and risks squandering its network just as its adversaries are learning to make more of theirs.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
If deleting your account takes an email to support, a waiting period and a follow-up, that friction is a design choice.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of friction

Verb

Widespread violence erupted across France over the weekend, as rioters and looters ransacked storefronts, clashed with police and set fire to municipal buildings.

— Max Butterworth, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
News | Getty Images A protestor looks on as police clash with protesters during a demonstration amid a nationwide mobilisation over rising living costs, fuel prices and education funding in Paris, France, on October 18, 2026.

— Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of clash

Noun

And so my conversation with Noah centered on the idea of a space where there would be a discordance between what the physical space looked like and what was happening emotionally in that room.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
Part of that discordance might be the fact that as a genre, rock has historically been difficult to define.

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Nov. 2025

Definition of discordance

Noun

One schism Hagar would like to repair, of course, is with former bandmate Alex Van Halen.

— Gary Graff, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
This is Kubrick’s modus operandi throughout the film, setting up scenes where furniture moves from shot to shot, wall decorations change, and there are further schisms between Ullman’s exposition and the reality that transpires.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of schism

Noun

The ongoing war in Iran has centered on nuclear issues, including enrichment—Iranian officials have resisted any peace-deal terms that restrict the country’s enrichment program.

— Nick Bockelman, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Lessons from the smartphone wars Zuckerberg’s push to own the full stack may stem from his nearly two-decade rivalry with Apple and Google, which control the world’s dominant smartphone platforms.

— Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of war

Noun

Authorities tried to physically suppress and contain dissent by prohibiting it and preventing protesters from entering certain public spaces.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the ruling but did not elaborate on their decision to dissent.

— Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of dissent

Cite this Entry

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“Discord.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discord. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of discord

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