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

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

Examples of dissident in a Sentence

dissident elements within the Catholic Church

Recent Examples on the Web

Eduard Limonov then—an appropriate nom de plume for a dissident poet arriving in 1974 New York, a metropolis of graffiti and project fires, of blackouts and serial killers. —Ed Simon june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025

Jafar Panahi — the Iranian dissident filmmaker who has been arrested, jailed, and banned from filmmaking numerous times in his home country due to his powerful and provocative work — took home the top prize. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 26 May 2025

Meanwhile, as the dissident director heads back to Iran, Iranian media are largely ignoring Jafar Panahi’s momentous Cannes Palme d’Or victory. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 25 May 2025

The dissident director has endured multiple run-ins with the Iranian government, including imprisonment, most recently from 2022 to 2023. —Thomas Page, CNN Money, 24 May 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