as in debate
variance of opinion on a matter
a democracy relies on dissensus as much as on consensus
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Recent Examples of dissensus
These dramas of politics — each involving the high court’s first black justice — arrive at a singularly contentious political moment in an atmosphere of angry, sometimes violent dissensus.
—
Manohla Dargis and A.o. Scott, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2017
Manohla Dargis and A.o. Scott, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissensus
Noun
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The measure triggered a storm of publicity and a nationwide debate over the merits of using local ordinances to control gun ownership, but was upheld in 1984 by the Illinois Supreme Court.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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Netflix's new true crime documentary The Crash has reignited the debate around Mackenzie Shirilla, who was convicted of killing her boyfriend Dominic Russo and their friend Davion Flanagan in a 2022 crash.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Noun
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This did not, however, mark the end of disputation concerning the Northwest Angle.—
Scott Spires,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
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According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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With the indictment now dismissed, the administration could argue there are fewer procedural barriers preventing another removal effort, though Xinis still retains authority over the injunction dispute unless the 4th Circuit intervenes.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 May 2026
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Prosecutors argued that Daniel Sikkema orchestrated the killing from New York amid a bitter divorce and custody dispute involving the couple’s son.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
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The result was a work that never managed to find a coherent point-of-view, which didn’t prevent it from taking in a decent $7 million at the local box office, or from stirring up controversy.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2026
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The controversy centers on campaign finance violations tied to the New Georgia Project, an organization devoted to voter registration and civic engagement founded by Abrams.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Public safety dominated the exchange, with sharp disagreements over crime trends, law enforcement authority and the role sheriffs should play in statewide policy.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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In addition, this legislation could provide leaders with protection on state laws pertaining to NIL, which has led to lawsuits and a plethora of disagreements.—
Trey Wallace,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissensus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissensus. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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