Synonyms of dissent

dissent 1 of 2

noun

1

as in discord

a lack of agreement or harmony

considerable dissent within the party's rank and file

Synonyms & Similar Words

• discord
• strife
• friction
• conflict
• war
• discordance
• schism
• discordancy
• warfare
• division
• dissidence
• dissension
• dispute
• variance
• clash
• hostility
• dissonance
• disunity
• infighting
• disagreement
• altercation
• disharmony
• disunion
• argument
• contention
• divide
• debate
• disaccord
• inharmony
• fight
• competition
• collision
• fissure
• quarrel
• brawl
• spat
• inconsistency
• squabble
• animosity
• falling-out
• bicker
• antagonism
• incongruity
• enmity
• rancor
• tiff
• incongruence
• run-in
• antipathy
• incompatibility
• ill will
• cold war
• row
• wrangle
• scrap
• jar
• incongruousness
• mix-up
• miff
• hassle
• inconsistence
• inconsonance
• inharmoniousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• agreement
• peace
• harmony
• accord
• cooperation
• concurrence
• concord
• concordance

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

• dissidence
• heresy
• nonconformity
• error
• schism
• heterodoxy
• discord
• defection
• myth
• deviation
• disagreement
• misconception
• apostasy
• deviance
• fallacy
• sectarianism
• dissension
• separatism
• iconoclasm
• scission
• falsehood
• misbelief
• unconventionality
• infidelity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conformity
• orthodoxy
• agreement
• conformation
• conventionality

dissent

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈsent 

as in to disagree

to have a different opinion

anyone who dissented was encouraged to speak out while they had the chance

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disagree
• object
• differ
• protest
• conflict
• take issue
• nonconcur
• debate
• resist
• argue
• contrast
• oppose
• clash
• counter
• contest
• dispute
• collide
• quarrel
• fall out
• bicker

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• concur
• agree
• assent
• accept
• consent
• comply
• acquiesce
• defer
• subscribe
• accede
• compromise
• cooperate
• affiliate
• get along
• collaborate
• associate
• side
• ally
• come round
• collude

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dissent

Noun

Justices Clarence Thomas and Alito wrote long dissents arguing that the framers of the 14th Amendment did not or would not have favored birthright citizenship. — Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Kagan writes first solo dissent Liberal Justice Elena Kagan is known to work with her conservative colleagues to craft narrower rulings to blunt their impact. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Verb

Jackson also is not shy about writing dissenting opinions, and the occasional concurrence, whether in combination with others or alone. — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 9 July 2026

The conservative justices who dissented made a much bigger argument against mail voting, basically calling into question mail voting writ large. — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 8 July 2026