variants also dissention

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun dissension contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dissension are conflict, contention, discord, strife, and variance. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Where would conflict be a reasonable alternative to dissension?

The words conflict and dissension are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

When is contention a more appropriate choice than dissension?

The synonyms contention and dissension are sometimes interchangeable, but contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When might discord be a better fit than dissension?

The words discord and dissension can be used in similar contexts, but discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When is it sensible to use strife instead of dissension?

Although the words strife and dissension have much in common, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

When could variance be used to replace dissension?

The meanings of variance and dissension largely overlap; however, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dissension The current dissension in her alliance motivates her to risk it, and she's rewarded with Safety Without Power. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Without a strong central authority—not a dictator or a king but a unifying rule of law—a free state would be torn apart by demagogues and dissension. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 Our challenge, beyond putting on an indelible show, was to find a way to make our dissension clear, with dignity and creativity. Ryan Miller, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025 There were leadership changes in the IRS and Treasury that resulted in changes to the plan, internal dissension about whether the redesign strategies would support IRS mission requirements, and redirections that caused delays. Marie Sapirie, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissension
Noun
  • The key is discerning between those who are willing to grow and those who choose to sow discord.
    Jennifer C. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord.
    John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Before the dispute, the Shinawatras and the Huns of Cambodia — two of Southeast Asia’s most influential political dynasties — had enjoyed close personal relations for decades.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
  • The dispute has influenced Paramount’s approach to a lawsuit accusing it of deceptively editing an interview with Kamala Harris.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • The song has also regained popularity during times of national strife or tragedy, including during the Gulf War and in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
    Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2025
  • The astronauts, when first leaving earth, looked back on their home planet from outer space and saw, in the darkness, a beautiful and vulnerable globe, so small and blue and fragile, undivided by borders or political strife.
    Laurie Sheck July 2, Literary Hub, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • With no deadline spurring action and the clear potential for disagreement on valuation, this staring contest could go on for a while.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 7 July 2025
  • Pay attention to body language in order to spot disagreement.
    Jack Fowler, National Review, 4 July 2025
Noun
  • The measure ratchets up Putin’s crackdown on dissent, which has intensified since Russia invaded Ukraine, one expert said, noting that the move to classify mobilization details was likely a reaction to Ukraine’s drone attacks.
    Semafor Events, semafor.com, 30 June 2025
  • Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent for the three liberal justices that public schools expose children to different views in a multicultural society.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • Jake is a single father who has brought Kristen up in the severe Calvinist tradition, marked by Bible disputations of Talmudic intricacy and by a radical detachment from secular and popular culture.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Seven decades later, this culture of disputation emerged as a central theme in Timothy Garton Ash’s The Magic Lantern, his eyewitness report on the Eastern European revolutions of 1989.
    Susie Linfield, The New York Review of Books, 11 May 2022
Noun
  • Despite the flare-up, Wedbush technology analyst Dan Ives expects the conflict between Musk and Mr. Trump to die down moving forward.
    Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 1 July 2025
  • During the recent conflict, the Israeli Air Force demonstrated an impressive capability to reach targets deep inside Iran while relying on its aged Boeing 707 tankers for refueling its fighter jets.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The marketing department has been working up a list of areas where crime in the streets is highest, and will target special efforts on Death Wish there, hoping to stir up the kind of controversy that will get people to the box office.
    Andrew Tobias, Vulture, 7 July 2025
  • Social Security has become a lightening rod for controversy since Trump’s inauguration in January.
    Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 7 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dissension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissension. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

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