dissension

noun

dis·​sen·​sion di-ˈsen(t)-shən 

variants or less commonly dissention

: disagreement

especially : partisan and contentious quarreling

causing dissension within the police department

a colony threatened by religious dissension

Synonyms

• conflict
• disaccord
• discord
• discordance
• discordancy
• disharmony
• dissent
• dissidence
• dissonance
• disunion
• disunity
• division
• friction
• infighting
• inharmony
• schism
• strife
• variance
• war
• warfare

Choose the Right Synonym for dissension

discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony.

discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Examples of dissension in a Sentence

The incident has caused a lot of dissension within the police department.

Religious dissension threatened to split the colony.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Raiders have alternated wins and losses, and has some dissension in their ranks. —Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024

The Amos family has been riven by dissension for at least a year, with Shannon having accused her brother of failing to provide adequate health care for their elderly father, who died at 84. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2024

But foreign policy, and particularly the war in Gaza, is an issue that seems almost designed to highlight dissension within the Party. —Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024

Kofi Kingston and Woods had another brief misunderstanding, suggesting some dissension in the ranks may still exist. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French discension, from Latin dissension-, dissensio, from dissentire — see dissent entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dissension

noun

dis·​sen·​sion dis-ˈen-chən 

: disagreement in opinion : discord