discrepancy
Americannoun
plural
discrepancies-
the state or quality of being discrepant or in disagreement, as by displaying an unexpected or unacceptable difference; inconsistency.
The discrepancy between the evidence and his account of what happened led to his arrest.
- Synonyms:
- variance, contrariety, discordance, disagreement, incongruity
-
an instance of difference or inconsistency.
There are certain discrepancies between the two versions of the story.
- Synonyms:
- variation
noun
Usage
Discrepancy is sometimes wrongly used where disparity is meant. A discrepancy exists between things which ought to be the same; it can be small but is usually significant. A disparity is a large difference between measurable things such as age, rank, or wages
Related Words
See difference.
Etymology
Origin of discrepancy
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin discrepantia, from discrepant- (stem of discrepāns “sounding discordant”; discrepant ) + -ia -y 3 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"There is discrepancy in the law -- it does not concern government members, but it does concern others," Josef Mlejnek, a political analyst at Charles University, told AFP.
From Barron's
“This proposed separation helps highlight that valuation discrepancy. It also makes it easier for an investor to buy a minority—or full—stake in either team,” he added.
From Barron's
Checks on his employment record found both his passport and driving licence had the 1982 date, but Martin continued to claim 1987 was correct and the discrepancy stemmed from a historic passport issue.
From BBC
"New York has always been a big deal, and that draws very highly paid individuals and families who obviously create discrepancies. Tech just fits into that."
From Barron's
The discrepancy underscores the fact that today’s economy is funneling money toward capital instead of labor—a trend that AI will intensify, writes Greg Ip.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
