discrepancy
Americannoun
-
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
Synonym Usage
See difference.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of discrepancy
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin discrepantia, from discrepant- (stem of discrepāns “sounding discordant”; see discrepant) + -ia -y 3 ( def. )
Explanation
A discrepancy is a lack of agreement or balance. If there is a discrepancy between the money you earned and the number on your paycheck, you should complain to your boss. There is a discrepancy when there is a difference between two things that should be alike. For example, there can be a wide discrepancy or a slight discrepancy between two objects, stories, or facts. The noun discrepancy is from Latin discrepare "to sound differently," from the prefix dis- "from" plus crepare "to rattle, creak."
Vocabulary lists containing discrepancy
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
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ACT Vocabulary List
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Unbroken
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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.
Davidson’s Gil Luria highlighted the valuation discrepancy between stocks that trade in the U.S. and those solely listed on exchanges elsewhere.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 25, 2026
This discrepancy is why we add a leap day every four years – to keep the calendar aligned with Earth's orbit.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
Drawn to the continuum of pregnancy, birth and parenting, she noticed a discrepancy in the literature.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
The gravitational pull of an undiscovered planet, several times larger than Earth, was seen as a possible reason for the discrepancy.
From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026
Beside me Regan raised her hand again, and I ground my teeth into my lip as she spotted the discrepancy in the professor’s hairstyle.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
