dissent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dissentnext
1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony considerable dissent within the party's rank and file

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dissidence
departure from a generally accepted theory, opinion, or practice the church reacted to any form of dissent by promptly excommunicating its proponents

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dissent

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈsent How to pronounce dissent (audio)
as in to disagree
to have a different opinion anyone who dissented was encouraged to speak out while they had the chance

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dissent
Noun
In the dissent, Roberts wrote that Congress must approve buildings on federal park grounds, a requirement that hasn't been met for the ballroom. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026 Roberts spent much of his six-page dissent emphasizing the historic nature of the White House complex, quoting former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at the end of his opinion. — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
At its most recent meeting in July, three members dissented from the decision to hold the rate steady. — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 But the three dissenting votes at their last meeting show that getting votes for a rate hike will be easy. — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissent
  1. discord
  2. dissidence
  3. disagree
  4. strife
  5. heresy
  6. friction
  7. nonconformity
  8. conflict
Noun
  • Officials say the attacks are intended to undermine support for Ukraine, spread fear and discord in European societies and drain investigative resources.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The disconnect between intent and impact could be sowing discord.
    — Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • While most sci-fi of the time was chipper and optimistic about our future, Blake’s 7 was a sci-fi show that explored themes of political dissidence, cynicism, and freedom fighting.
    — William Worrall, Space.com, 15 July 2026
  • So why aren’t more people signing up for decadent dissidence?
    — Eileen G'Sell, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Definition of dissidence
Verb
  • The one legend nobody could disagree about, no matter your beliefs or your background.
    — Corey duBrowa, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Hellerstein, in his ruling this week, disagreed with that take.
    — Emily R. Condon, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of disagree
Noun
  • Bernadette explains the racial nuances the Guardians might not know as newcomers to Earth, echoing the landmark 1971 Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, which attempts to bring the space cops down to Earth by exposing them to racial strife.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors believe he was killed because of ongoing strife with his former wife, Shanna Gardner, over the parenting of their twins.
    — Ed White, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • This interpretation was not universally popular—in fact, conservative elements in the Presbyterian Church threatened to put Fosdick on denominational trial for heresy.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But at the time, vernacular Bibles were associated with heresy.
    — Michael Bruening, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
Definition of heresy
Noun
  • That moisturizing combination can benefit dry, brittle strands, too, since better lubricated hair creates less friction—and potentially less tangling and mechanical breakage—during brushing and styling.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Bridge’s rapid rise was driven by regions that featured high friction across borders, like Latin America.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of friction
Noun
  • How much, if at all, gender nonconformity was accepted, is not directly evident.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
  • In that movie, Keating taught English and poetry, so his open mind and nonconformity worked.
    — Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026
Definition of nonconformity
Noun
  • Officials in Pattaya, where international tourist arrivals have dropped because of travel disruptions and soaring fuel prices stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, say the visit is expected to inject about $3 million into the local economy.
    — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Households reduced fuel consumption due to elevated prices owed to the Middle East conflict, and cut domestic and international travel.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of conflict

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Cite this Entry

“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissent. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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