1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony
considerable dissent within the party's rank and file
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dissidence
departure from a generally accepted theory, opinion, or practice
the church reacted to any form of dissent by promptly excommunicating its proponents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to disagree
to have a different opinion
anyone who dissented was encouraged to speak out while they had the chance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dissent
Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Khamenei often used the broad range of powers at his disposal to quell dissent.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
The court’s three liberal justices dissented.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Noun
They were followed by a sweeping security crackdown that criminalized dissent and reshaped the city’s legal system.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Khamenei often used the broad range of powers at his disposal to quell dissent.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
The court’s three liberal justices publicly dissented, saying the case is still working its way through lower courts and there was no need to step in now.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
The court’s three liberal justices dissented.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissent
Noun
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The calls also revealed some staff discord.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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There hasn’t been any significant drama or discord like last year with Rafael Devers, and outside of a handful of non-roster invitees, there haven’t been any major injuries suffered during camp, either.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Given that women in other countries do wear lipstick as an act of resistance today, suggesting that American feminists did so in 1912 conflates their wildly different cultural contexts, and blurs one’s sense of what constitutes public dissidence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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The dissidence of Minneapolis reminds me of the Argentinian mothers who found themselves in an impossible situation during the military junta of the late 1970s.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to various online surveys, parents and grandparents often disagree over the perfect moniker for a new baby.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
7 Mar. 2026
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In Maryland politics, Republicans and Democrats disagree on many things.—
Vaughn Stewart,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Gender care strife notwithstanding, Frias’ tenure at Rady has been positive.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Challenging life circumstances—think divorce, job loss, or financial strife—can take a drastic toll on their mental health.—
Sam Manzella,
Flow Space,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Any challenge to gun rights was immediate heresy, disqualifying in any measure.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
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When something is so embedded in our routines, even a small shift can feel like heresy.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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All of this political friction is now in addition to this study’s findings, which suggest cities and residents may have consistently undershot the problem.—
Marcos Magaña,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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This is a time of giving and getting support, because practical care reduces friction.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In many kids who grow up to be gay, gender nonconformity manifests long before overt same-sex attraction does.—
Ben Appel,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
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Similarly, the emphasis on independence and nonconformity reflects what psychologists call autonomy orientation.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran toward Turkey on Monday, the second such incident, raising the risk the military alliance could be drawn more directly into the conflict.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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As conflict destabilizes parts of the Middle East, the ripple effects are already reaching the region’s luxury economy, which has become a promising growth engine for a struggling global sector.—
Tara Donaldson,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissent. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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