unmusical

adjective

ˌən-ˈmyü-zi-kəl How to pronounce unmusical (audio)
Definition of unmusicalnext
as in shrill
marked by or producing a harsh combination of sounds a very unmusical chorus of squawks from the angry ravens

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unmusical Those songs remind Omara of real people and real events, political interludes whose senselessness and brutality have left unmusical lacunae in her life. — Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023 His parents were unmusical Russian-Jewish immigrants who ran various businesses with mixed success. — The Economist, 3 Oct. 2019 Paradoxically, then, the man most involved in the development of the electric guitar was the unmusical Leo Fender. — David Kirby, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2019 The controversy of Schoenberg’s serialist works—the overwhelming reaction to them as ugly, nightmarish, simply unmusical—shows how firmly tonality had come to condition habits of listening. — Paul Grimstad, The New Republic, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmusical
  1. shrill
  2. noisy
  3. dissonant
  4. unpleasant
  5. metallic
  6. inharmonious
  7. cacophonous
Adjective
  • The shrill call of the shofar ensures no one falls asleep during lengthy Jewish High Holy Day services each year.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Amid the rumblings of construction at nearby David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the sound of a shrill whistle and chopping feet at the nearby Murfin Family Practice Fields signaled one thing.
    — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of shrill
Adjective
  • The household surveys always noisy, but this is very, very large.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For three decades, in an increasingly noisy and stress-filled world, Miraval Arizona has embraced its philosophy of Life in Balance, pioneering the concept of transformative wellbeing through mindfulness.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of noisy
Adjective
  • The score was such a beautiful, odd, dissonant piece of work.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 July 2026
  • This is reminding me of watching Slint play a reunion show in 2014 under the I-65 highway at a festival in Louisville, and how simultaneously awesome and cognitively dissonant that experience was.
    — Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 25 June 2026
Definition of dissonant
Adjective
  • Discard soy sauce that smells unpleasant, has a sour taste, or contains mold.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Cedarwood Oil Cedarwood is another essential oil with an unpleasant smell to mice as well as other pests.
    — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Plus, the metallic handle is shaped to look like a pumpkin stem, giving the entire display piece an elegant fall look.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2026
  • From laboratory samples to a commercial reactor Lightbridge is developing a metallic fuel intended to improve the performance of existing and future nuclear reactors.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of metallic
Adjective
  • We are made loving, good, and pure – entirely free from any inharmonious tendency.
    — Margaret Rogers, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Setting Discordant Personal Goals A 2023 study published in Current Psychology finds that partners’ inharmonious goals can have detrimental effects on relationships.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Definition of inharmonious
Adjective
  • That little note turned into this absolute cacophonous thunderstorm, all from that one note on the guitar.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In a packed, bustling restaurant, collective chatter reaches cacophonous levels, which is where mechanic Ninh (Nguyễn Quốc Tuấn) comes in.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of cacophonous

Browse Nearby Words

unmuffling
unmusical
unnamed
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Cite this Entry

“Unmusical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmusical. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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