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.
“So that’s a discrepancy right there that should be addressed so that companies have a standard to adhere to.”
From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026
He believes the discrepancy stems from Lilly’s success in the cash pay channel, which is driven by price rather than product differentiation.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
Martin said X sold it for £13,000 but told the presenters they had received £11,000, leaving "a discrepancy of £2,000".
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026
To address the discrepancy, Dr. Rossi and her colleagues used a two part strategy.
From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026
Estraven had had to guess my size and the snow-boots he got me were a little large, but extra socks filled the discrepancy.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
