harmony
harmony
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "harmony" is /ˈhɑːrməni/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
har-: /hɑːr/
/h/ as in "hat"
/ɑː/ as in "father" (a long 'a' sound)
/r/ as in "red"
mo-: /mə/
/m/ as in "mat"
/ə/ as in "about" (schwa sound)
ny: /ni/
/n/ as in "nap"
/i/ as in "happy" (a long 'e' sound)
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: harmony
Plural: harmonies
Adjective: harmonious
Adverb: harmoniously
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A state of agreement or concord, especially in feelings, opinions, or actions, leading to a sense of peace and cooperation.
Synonyms: accord, unity, consensus, amity, concord, agreement
Antonyms: discord, conflict, disagreement, strife, contention
Definition 2: The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect; the study of this.
Synonyms: consonance, euphony, chord, melodiousness
Antonyms: dissonance, cacophony, discordance
Definition 3: A pleasing arrangement of parts, often referring to a balance of elements that creates an aesthetic or coherent whole.
Synonyms: balance, symmetry, proportion, coherence, integration
Antonyms: imbalance, disarray, disharmony, asymmetry
Verb (Harmonize - derived from "harmony")
Definition 1: To be in agreement or accord; to bring into agreement or accord.
Synonyms: agree, concur, reconcile, coordinate, align
Antonyms: conflict, disagree, clash, diverge
Definition 2: (Music) To add notes to a melody to produce harmony; to sing or play in harmony.
Synonyms: blend, accompany, arrange, orchestrate
Antonyms: (No direct antonym for this musical sense, as it describes an act of creation)
Adjective (Harmonious - derived from "harmony")
Definition 1: Marked by agreement, peace, or friendliness; free from disagreement or strife.
Synonyms: agreeable, peaceful, congenial, amicable, compatible
Antonyms: discordant, conflicting, contentious, hostile, incompatible
Definition 2: (Music) Pleasing to the ear due to the combination of sounds; forming a pleasing musical effect.
Synonyms: melodic, tuneful, consonant, mellifluous
Antonyms: dissonant, cacophonous, unmusical
Definition 3: Having parts that are arranged or blended in a pleasing or consistent way.
Synonyms: balanced, proportional, symmetrical, integrated, coherent
Antonyms: imbalanced, disordered, disharmonious, disjointed
Adverb (Harmoniously - derived from "harmony")
Definition 1: In a way that is in agreement or accord; peacefully and cooperatively.
Synonyms: amicably, peacefully, congenially, agreeably, cooperatively
Antonyms: discordantly, conflictually, contentiously, hostilely
Definition 2: (Music) In a way that creates a pleasing musical effect.
Synonyms: melodically, tunefully, sonorously
Antonyms: dissonantly, cacophonously
Definition 3: In a way that shows a pleasing arrangement or balance of parts.
Synonyms: gracefully, symmetrically, coherently, proportionately
Antonyms: disjointedly, awkwardly, imbalanced
Examples of Use
Books:
"The challenge of maintaining harmony within a diverse community is one that requires constant effort and understanding from all its members." (From a sociological text, hypothetical)
"Her latest collection of poems explores the delicate harmony between nature and human experience, often drawing parallels between the two." (From a literary review, hypothetical)
Newspapers:
"Leaders urged for national harmony following the divisive election results, calling for citizens to unite for the common good." ( The Daily Nation, March 2024)
"The city council approved a new zoning plan designed to bring the historic district into greater harmony with modern urban development, balancing preservation with progress." (The Guardian, October 2023)
Online Publications:
"Achieving work-life harmony is often about setting boundaries and prioritizing well-being, rather than simply balancing tasks." ( Forbes.com, January 2025)
"New research suggests that spending time in nature can significantly contribute to inner harmony and mental well-being." (Psychology Today, July 2024)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Music: "The choir’s voices blended in perfect harmony, creating a truly transcendent experience for the audience." (Concert review, unspecified platform, December 2024)
Film: "The film explores the complicated harmony of family relationships, showcasing both their joys and their inevitable conflicts." (Movie review on Rotten Tomatoes, September 2023)
Video Games: "Players must strategically manage resources and build alliances to maintain peace and harmony across the sprawling kingdom." (Game review on IGN, April 2025)
Television: "The latest episode of the nature documentary series showcased the intricate harmony of the rainforest ecosystem." (Description on Netflix, November 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"We need to find a way to live in greater harmony with our environment, reducing our impact and promoting sustainability." (Environmental activist at a public forum, hypothetical)
"The goal of effective teamwork is to create a synergy where individual strengths contribute to overall group harmony." (Manager during a team meeting, hypothetical)
"It's essential for different cultures to learn to coexist in harmony, respecting each other's traditions and values." (Speaker at a diversity conference, hypothetical)
10 Quotes Using Harmony
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." (Mahatma Gandhi)
"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe." (Marcus Aurelius)
"Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all." (George Washington)
"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony." (Thomas Merton)
"The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence." (Rabindranath Tagore)
"Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay." (Sallust)
"Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is accord. Harmony." (Laini Taylor)
"When we create peace and harmony and balance in our minds, we will find it in our lives." (Louise L. Hay)
"And when love speaks, the voice of all the Gods makes heaven drowsy with the harmony." (William Shakespeare)
"First there must be order and harmony within your own mind. Then this order will spread to your family, then to the community, and finally to your entire kingdom. Only then can you have peace and harmony." (Confucius)
Etymology
The word "harmony" has a musical and social background, and it comes to us through a journey of languages.
It ultimately stems from the Ancient Greek word "harmonia" (ἁρμονία). In its earliest sense, "harmonia" meant something like "joint," "fitting together," or "agreement." Think of how pieces of wood might be fitted together perfectly to form a sturdy joint – that sense of "fitting" or "joining" was central.
This Greek word was then adopted into Latin as "harmonia." By this point, its meaning had expanded to include the idea of a "fitting together" of sounds, or a "concord" in music. It also retained the sense of agreement or proper arrangement in a more general sense.
From Latin, the word made its way into Old French as "armonie" and then into Middle English as "harmonie."
The first known use and meaning of "harmony" in English, dating back to the late 13th or early 14th century, was primarily related to music. It referred to the pleasing combination of musical notes sounded together, or a beautiful melody.
Over time, the meaning broadened to include the more general sense of "agreement, concord, or a pleasing arrangement of parts" in non-musical contexts, reflecting its earlier Greek and Latin roots. So, from the idea of perfectly fitting musical notes, it evolved to mean people fitting together socially or ideas fitting together coherently.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Harmony
In harmony with: To be in agreement or accord with something or someone.
Live in harmony: To coexist peacefully and without conflict.
Achieve harmony: To bring about a state of agreement, peace, or balance.
Perfect harmony: A state of complete agreement, balance, or musical consonance.
Racial harmony: A state where people of different races coexist peacefully and without prejudice.
Work in harmony: To cooperate effectively towards a common goal.
Strike a harmony: To create a pleasing combination or balance (often used figuratively).
Disrupt the harmony: To introduce conflict or imbalance into a peaceful or ordered situation.
Bring into harmony: To make different elements agree or fit together well.
A harmony of colors/elements: A pleasing combination or balance of different visual or conceptual components.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of harmony from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
