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

Guerrilla groups such as Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN), dissident FARC factions and Venezuelan criminal organizations operate across mining zones, frequently imposing taxes on miners and controlling pits through violence. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026

There's the dissident intelligence officer Helmuth von Moltke, a conservative who seeks to work from inside against the Nazis (he gets hanged for his trouble). —John Powers, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026

Diplomacy with the West In 2003, after a dissident group exposed Iran’s clandestine nuclear activities in 2002 and Iran began facing intensifying international pressure, Araghchi was appointed director of the first department of western Europe in Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. —Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026

But the dissident filmmaker isn’t sure what kind of welcome awaits his return. —Madison Darbyshire, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026

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