From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishatonala‧ton‧al /eɪˈtəʊnəl, æ- $ -ˈtoʊ-/ adjective APMa piece of music that is atonal is not based on a particular key2(4) —atonality /ˌeɪtəʊˈnæləti, ˌæ- $ -toʊ-/ noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
atonal• Not that he has set out to terrify his listeners with atonal atrocities.• Emma was experimenting with atonal motifs on a xylophone and Vicky had been given a doll but had pulled the arm off.• If a fight takes place in this room, the strains of disorientating Nipponese atonal music can be clearly heard.• In atonal music, the harmonic relationships may be very complex indeed, yet they are undoubtedly there.• We can therefore create whatever degree of atonal norm we wish, just through our knowledge of the nature of intervals.• Even in the atonal phase, before he adopted serialism, he presented obstacles for his listeners.• Schoenberg's atonal phrases need to be expressed and caressed as much as those of Brahms.• A backlash to atonal techno-pop or angst-ridden thrash-rock? 