discrepant

adjective

dis·​crep·​ant di-ˈskre-pənt How to pronounce discrepant (audio)
: being at variance : disagreeing
widely discrepant conclusions
discrepantly adverb

Examples of discrepant in a Sentence

There had always been a question about what to do with observations (known as "outliers") that are wildly discrepant from the mean. Obviously the observer has made a huge mistake somewhere—for example, reversing the digits when transcribing a number—but the fundamental premise of the law of errors is that mistakes should never be thrown out. How are astronomers supposed to distinguish between inaccuracies and sheer blunders? Louis Menand, The Metaphysical Club, 2001
Relatively few laboratories could get experimental suppression systems to work, and many experiments proved difficult to reproduce reliably. As discrepant results accumulated, the proposed regulatory networks became "more and more baroque," Germain says. As time passed, investigators began questioning whether suppressor cells existed at all. Scientific American, December 1990
The truth perhaps lies somewhere between these two very discrepant views. Mark Griffith, Notes and Queries, March 1990
widely discrepant conclusions on the impact the real estate development would have on the local environment
Recent Examples on the Web These discrepant views—these concepts of penguins—are the kind of information researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, elicited from participants in a study that was published last month. Simon Makin, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2023 The Kardashian index: a measure of discrepant social media profile for scientists. Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2014 This year would be a good time to ask, as Silver Oak turns 50, with a look back at the brand’s seemingly discrepant (but in reality, brilliant) consistency in style against a background of constant innovation. Sara L. Schneider, Robb Report, 22 May 2022 Their goal is to exploit the slivers of doubt and discrepant results that always exist in science in order to challenge the consensus views of scientific experts. Mano Singham, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discrepant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English discrepante "contradictory," borrowed from Latin discrepant-, discrepans, present participle of discrepāre "to differ in sound, be out of tune, be inconsistent," from dis- dis- + crepāre "to clatter, rattle" — more at crepitate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of discrepant was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near discrepant

Cite this Entry

“Discrepant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discrepant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

discrepant

adjective
dis·​crep·​ant dis-ˈkrep-ənt How to pronounce discrepant (audio)
: not being in agreement
widely discrepant conclusions
discrepantly adverb
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