Synonyms for disagreement
Most common
dispute dissonance quarrel controversy discrepancy misunderstanding
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Dispute
dispute, dissonance, quarrel, controversy, conflict, dissension, discord, altercation, difference of opinion, argument, discordance, dissent, contention, strife, division, clashing, friction, faction, discordancy, squabble, bickering, feud
2. Discrepancy
discrepancy, misunderstanding, difference, inconsistency, variance, distinction, incongruity, dissimilarity, diversity, repugnance, contrariety, unlikeness, contradiction, antagonism, incompatibility, disparity, deviation, divergence dated
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
An argument or debate.
They had a bit of a disagreement about what color to paint the bedroom, but they have reached a compromise.
- n. 2
A condition of not agreeing or concurring.
The two sides were in disagreement.
Forms
- Plural
- disagreements → disputes, dissonances, quarrels, controversies…
Choose the right word
Disagreement is not merely the lack, but the opposite, of agreement; it is a mild word for opposition and conflict; difference is sometimes used in the same sense.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- dispute Go is a game of dispute and conquest of territory.
- controversy She has waded into one controversy after another.
- quarrel The quarrel left a gulf between the two families.
- dissonance This piece makes heavy use of dissonance and syncopation.
- misunderstanding I think there has been some misunderstanding here.
- discrepancy I can't think of an explanation for the discrepancy.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| disagreement | falling | |
| dispute | steady | |
| controversy | falling | |
| quarrel | falling | |
| dissonance | rising | |
| misunderstanding | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- feud1, rift1
- 6 letters
- strife1
- 7 letters
- dispute2, faction2, dissent2, discord2, quarrel2
- 8 letters
- division3, conflict2, argument3, friction2, variance3, clashing2, squabble2
- 9 letters
- diversity4, disparity4, deviation4, bickering3
- 10 letters
- difference3, difficulty4, contention3, divergence3, dissonance3, antagonism5, dissension3, repugnance, unlikeness
- 11 letters
- controversy4, distinction3, discrepancy4, altercation4, incongruity5, discordance, contrariety, discordancy
- 13 letters
- contradiction4, inconsistency5, dissimilarity6
- 15 letters
- incompatibility7
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (dispute2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- désaccord
- Italiano
- disaccordo
- Español
- desacuerdo
- Català
- desacord