dissented; dissenting; dissents
1
: to withhold assent or approval
2
: to differ in opinion
Three of the justices dissented from the majority opinion.
: 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
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
Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
The case raises core constitutional questions about whether noncitizens living lawfully in the United States enjoy the same First Amendment protections as citizens, and whether immigration enforcement can be used to silence dissenting viewpoints.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The song’s use of the native language is part of a longer tradition in Taiwan of dissent and self-assertion.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dissent
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Verb
When Kavanaugh issued his opinion that immigration agents can consider race and other factors, the Supreme Court’s three liberal justices strongly dissented.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
The case raises core constitutional questions about whether noncitizens living lawfully in the United States enjoy the same First Amendment protections as citizens, and whether immigration enforcement can be used to silence dissenting viewpoints.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
Sotomayor’s dissent comes over a week since the Supreme Court started its term.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The song’s use of the native language is part of a longer tradition in Taiwan of dissent and self-assertion.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Cite this Entry
“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissent. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
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
R. C. ClarkNote: 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
dissenter
noun
dissent
2 of 2 noun1
: 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
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