Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CACOPHONY

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pronounce CACOPHONY: Say it "kuh KOFF uh nee." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: There's a good Seussian definition of our word cacophony: it's the noise, noise, noise, noise. Poor Grinch. He's been putting up with the Whos and their Christmassy cacophony for 53 years. He deserves some peace, or at least some __phny (beauty or loveliness of sound). Can you recall that word? Etymologically speaking, this __phny (beauty or loveliness of sound) is the exact opposite of a cacophony. But in general terms, I'd say the opposite of a cacophony is harmony. That is, a cacophony sounds ugly because the components clash; a harmony sounds beautiful because the components blend. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: "Cacophony" has Greek roots that mean "bad sound." A cacophony is a bunch of ugly, harsh sounds heard all together. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Noun. Often, it's the countable kind: "The eight toddlers with violins created a cacophony." Occasionally, it's the uncountable kind: "The eight toddlers with violins created cacophony." Other forms:  Cacophonies, cacophonous, cacophonously. how to use it: "Cacophony" is a formal, semi-common word. Pick it when you need to strike a serious or mock-serious tone as you label some combination of hideous sounds. (Not just a single sound, like a fingernail on a chalkboard.) Note the negative tone: to call something a cacophony is to say that it's assaulting your ears. "There are hundreds of squawking pigeons, and I can't stand the cacophony." You might get figurative or synesthetic and call something a cacophony even though you don't perceive it with the ears: "a cacophony of colors," "the cacophony of politics today," "a mind burdened by a cacophony of what-ifs." The Daily Beast referred to a television show as "a cacophony of celebrity ego, bombastic production, and misguided cruelty." examples: "The sounds echoing off the walls were a cacophony of terror—human screams, metal clashing against metal, motors roaring, the haunted shrieks of the Grievers, saws spinning, claws clasping, boys yelling for help."     — James Dashner, The Maze Runner, 2010 "Imagine walking on the Lower East Side at the turn of the 20th century in what was then the most densely populated place on Earth — with people from all over the world. You would hear a cacophony of languages, bump against people and inhale the urgent smells of survival."    — Liz Robbins, New York Times, 10 March 2020 has this page helped you understand "cacophony"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "cacophony" without saying "a riot of sounds" or "discordant noises." try it out: When my family and I lived in Hawaii, we fell asleep to the sound of the coqui frogs. They emit a high-pitched call that sounds like their name: "ko KEY!" And they have no natural predators, so on any given acre of land, there might be a couple thousand coquis. I always found their calls comforting. But some people find them annoying. They would call their nightly sounds a cacophony--and I would call it a symphony. With the coquis in mind as an example, talk about another collection of sounds that might be praised as a symphony by some but cursed as a cacophony by others. If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Country Song, or Springer Episode? Be warned: this month's game is in poor taste. I had so much fun creating it, so what does that say about me? And if you're good at it, what does that say about you? Oh, snap.  Country songs and Jerry Springer episodes have something in common: their self-aware, over-the-top titles. It's clear that the creators of both enjoyed poking fun at their genre. In each round of the game this month, check out a handful of titles, and see if you can decide whether each belongs to a country song or a Jerry Springer episode. For the answers, scroll all the way down. Try these today: 1. Attack of The Country Folk 2. Only Me and My Hairdresser Know 3. Broken Hearts and Burritos review this word: 1. The precise opposite of CACOPHONY is EUPHONY. But some pretty close opposites of CACOPHONY include A. RHYTHM and MOVEMENT. B. MELODY and STRENGTH. C. HARMONY and CONCORDANCE. 2. According to Wikipedia, the Cacophony Society is _____ dedicated to _____. A. a social club .. tea and politeness B. a counterculture movement .. chaos and pranks C. an association of islanders .. meditation and prayer Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. B Answer to the game questions:  1. Attack of The Country Folk → Springer 2. Only Me and My Hairdresser Know → Song 3. Broken Hearts and Burritos → Springer a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.