atonal
adjective
aton·al
(ˌ)ā-ˈtō-nᵊl 
(ˌ)a-
: marked by avoidance of traditional musical tonality
especially
: organized without reference to key or tonal center and using the tones of the chromatic scale impartially
Examples of atonal in a Sentence
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Ives’s legendary status initially rested on his reputation as a maverick pioneer who supposedly had beaten Schoenberg in the race to the atonal pole.
—
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
This is a half-hour exploration that jazzes its way into atonal space, but Lesh never loses the groove.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
Go-to composer Alberto Iglesias can be counted on to provide his eclectic blend of melodic orchestral and atonal avant-garde styles.
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2024
The Queen of Power Ballads is now the subject of her illness—stricken and isolated, with her famously mellifluous voice emitting involuntary, atonal moans.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 26 July 2024
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Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
This is a half-hour exploration that jazzes its way into atonal space, but Lesh never loses the groove.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
Go-to composer Alberto Iglesias can be counted on to provide his eclectic blend of melodic orchestral and atonal avant-garde styles.
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2024
The Queen of Power Ballads is now the subject of her illness—stricken and isolated, with her famously mellifluous voice emitting involuntary, atonal moans.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for atonal
Dictionary Entries Near atonal
Cite this Entry
“Atonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atonal. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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atonal
adjective
aton·al
(ˈ)ā-ˈtōn-əl
(ˈ)a-
: being music written without traditional organization based on a scale
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