as in debate
variance of opinion on a matter
a democracy relies on dissensus as much as on consensus
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 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
-
His government promulgated a new constitution after just nine days of debate in the National Assembly.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
State funding levels, including Proposition 98 allocations, have also factored into the debate, with union leaders arguing revenue projections are stronger than the district has indicated.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This did not, however, mark the end of disputation concerning the Northwest Angle.—
Scott Spires,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
-
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
-
There are also disputes over land and grazing between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities frequently escalate into deadly clashes in the north-central and northwestern part of the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Federal Trade Commission and StubHub this week settled a dispute over allegations that StubHub concealed the actual, total prices of tickets over a three-day period in May 2025.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Calloway became internet-famous for her Instagram captions, elaborate personal storytelling, and a series of public controversies that blurred the boundary between confession and performance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
-
In a recent interview with the Associated Press about the controversies surrounding his stand-up career in recent years, the comedian, 52, talked about his Comedy Central series, which aired from 2003 to 2006.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ongoing military activity in the Middle East and disagreements over Iran’s control of key shipping routes have left the diplomatic effort vulnerable to collapse before the talks even begin.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The disagreement has also offered a preview of politics on the city’s newest Democratic body.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissensus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissensus. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
