discrepancy

American  

[dih-skrep-uhn-see] / dɪˈskrɛp ən si /

Also discrepance

noun

discrepancies plural

1. 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

2. an instance of difference or inconsistency.

   There are certain discrepancies between the two versions of the story.

   Synonyms:

   variation

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discrepancy British  

/ dɪˈskrɛpənsɪ /

noun

1. a conflict or variation, as between facts, figures, or claims

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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

• discrepancies
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

discrepancy discrepancies

“The discrepancy between the honorable conduct expected of federal prosecutors and DOJ’s tactics in this case is unsettling,” McElroy wrote.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

Upon identifying this discrepancy, a city inspector asked for updated documentation on the steel columns and that wasn’t provided, the Buildings Department said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

The reason for the discrepancy is that, over the past few years, the S&P 500 has become increasingly top-heavy as shares of the largest companies pulled ahead.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026

To investigate the discrepancy, the team used a technique called inversion, which works backward from observed tsunami behavior to estimate the characteristics of the earthquake that generated it.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026

She and her division chief went back and forth over the data, trying to isolate the discrepancy.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Property, the largest concentration of global wealth, is overvalued by up to 50%, using price-to-affordability metrics, although there are significant locational discrepancies.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

God forbid that comes true, but if it does, this record is proof that Madonna is her discrepancies: She is this, and she is also that.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

These hidden features may help explain discrepancies that have puzzled researchers studying dinosaur growth.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 22, 2026

While Louise Owen's experience is different, there is a common theme of conflicting advice and discrepancies which prompted her to lean on the support of the helpline.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Brian shrugged, tabulating his own totals once more to be sure that Brother Leon wouldn’t blame him for any discrepancies.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

Related Words

• difference
• disparity
• distinction
• divergence
• error
• inconsistency
• miscalculation
• variation