dissent

1 of 2

verb

dis·​sent di-ˈsent 

dissented; dissenting; dissents

intransitive verb

1

: to withhold assent or approval

2

: to differ in opinion

Three of the justices dissented from the majority opinion.

dissent

2 of 2

noun

: difference of opinion

heard voices of dissent at the meeting

: such as

a

: religious nonconformity

permitted no dissent from church teachings

b

law : a justice's nonconcurrence with a decision of the majority

cited an earlier case in her dissent

called also dissenting opinion

c

: political opposition to a government or its policies

attempts to suppress domestic dissent

Synonyms

Verb

• differ
• disagree
• nonconcur

Noun

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

Examples of dissent in a Sentence

Verb

The Supreme Court, with two justices dissenting, ruled that the law was constitutional.

anyone who dissented was encouraged to speak out while they had the chance

Noun

Church leaders permitted no dissent from church teachings.

He did everything in his power to suppress political dissent.

These dissents come from prominent scientists and should not be ignored.

She argued in her dissent that Congress had exceeded its authority.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The failure of his effort in 1964 helped set the party on the path to becoming the GOP that arrives in Milwaukee: a far-right one in which the fight from San Francisco would be unimaginable because there are no dissenting voices left. —Marsha E. Barrett / Made By History, TIME, 15 July 2024

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Steven B. Gould wrote that allowing Mosby to maintain an active license would undermine public perception of the justice system. —Cassidy Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2024

Noun

Biden on Friday reissued his call for a ban on semiautomatic weapons; the Heritage Foundation’s influential Project 2025 embraces ideas such as rounding up 11 million undocumented immigrants and using the military to quell dissent. —Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 16 July 2024

As Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointed out in her dissent, that outrageous notion may now be a reality. —Andrew Turley, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Latin dissentire, from dis- + sentire to feel — more at sense

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1585, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dissent

1 of 2 verb

dis·​sent dis-ˈent 

: to differ in opinion : disagree

dissent

2 of 2 noun

: difference of opinion

Legal Definition

dissent

1 of 2 intransitive verb

dis·​sent di-ˈsent 

1

: to withhold assent or approval

unfair squeezeout transactions—the kind to which public shareholders seem most likely to dissent

—R. C. Clark

see also appraisal

Note: A shareholder who dissents from a proposed transaction may demand that the corporation buy his or her shares after an appraisal.

2

: to differ in opinion

especially : to disagree with a majority opinion

three of the justices dissented

compare concur

dissenter noun

dissent

2 of 2 noun

1

: difference of opinion

especially : a judge's disagreement with the decision of the majority

2

: dissenting opinion at opinion

3

: the judge or group of judges that dissent compare majority