dissident

adjective

dis·​si·​dent ˈdi-sə-dənt 

: disagreeing especially with an established religious or political system, organization, or belief

dissident elements in the armed forces

dissident noun

Synonyms of dissident

• dissenting
• unconventional
• maverick
• nonconformist
• iconoclastic
• heretical
• out-there
• separatist

Examples of dissident in a Sentence

dissident elements within the Catholic Church

Recent Examples on the Web

In Virginia, a dissident hinterland landowner named Nathaniel Bacon led a revolt by aggrieved Colonists that torched the English provincial capital at Jamestown. —Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026

After hundreds of thousands of opposition protesters took to the streets in April 2002, Chavez was briefly ousted in a coup by dissident military officers and opposition figures, who installed a new president, businessman Pedro Carmona. —James Trapani, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026

The dissident group also said that the people of Kazerun demonstrated Saturday in the city's Shohada Square, where security fired live ammunition at the protesters. —Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026

Simon and Hervée talked about their experiences working with dissident Iranian filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof on The Seed of the Sacred Fig and Maryam Moqadam and Behtash Sanaeeha on My Favourite Cake respectively. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin dissident-, dissidens, present participle of dissidēre to sit apart, disagree, from dis- + sedēre to sit — more at sit

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dissident

adjective

dis·​si·​dent ˈdis-əd-ənt 

: disagreeing with an opinion or a group

dissident noun