dissent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dissentnext
1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony considerable dissent within the party's rank and file

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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

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dissent

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈsent How to pronounce dissent (audio)
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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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 dissent
Noun
Critics say the law, which Hong Kong and Chinese officials say was necessary to restore stability, has been used to stifle dissent in the former British colony. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026 The dissents reinforce investor expectations that the Fed will hike rates in December. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
Since then, most of the 3-2 split votes have had Lago, Anderson and Lara on one side, with Castro and Fernandez dissenting. — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026 The City Council voted 4-1 to postpone a decision on the Midas Apartments project without setting a new hearing date, with Mayor Dave Bass casting the lone dissenting vote. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissent
  1. discord
  2. dissidence
  3. disagree
  4. strife
  5. heresy
  6. friction
  7. nonconformity
  8. conflict
Noun
  • Once the wicker creation proves far more extraordinary, discord and jealousy upset the fisherwoman’s quiet village.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Dolan was right that distractions can trip up a team, sowing just enough discord among its players to derail their chances at another title, and cut short their fans' chances at another joyous summer.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • While most sci-fi of the time was chipper and optimistic about our future, Blake’s 7 was a sci-fi show that explored themes of political dissidence, cynicism, and freedom fighting.
    — William Worrall, Space.com, 15 July 2026
  • So why aren’t more people signing up for decadent dissidence?
    — Eileen G'Sell, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Definition of dissidence
Verb
  • Among Latino voters, 40% believed electing a Latino governor would ease fear in their communities, but 43% disagreed.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Paige disagrees and puts his own third, saying Jordan’s shot won a championship and Maye’s was closer to a true buzzer-beater.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of disagree
Noun
  • The core elements—airy melodies, drug talk, copious ad-libs—are old hat, but frank tales of suburban ennui and romantic strife give the Minneapolis rapper’s latest album a refreshingly personal air.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There have been reports of internal strife at the London bureau at CBS News over the tone of its Middle East coverage since Bari Weiss, a strong supporter of Israel, took over as the network’s editor in chief last year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • The campaign has included an allegation of heresy This year’s race is unusual because of attacks from the Christian right branding Hamilton a heretic.
    — John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This interpretation was not universally popular—in fact, conservative elements in the Presbyterian Church threatened to put Fosdick on denominational trial for heresy.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of heresy
Noun
  • When there must be some interlude of friction or a character needs to be brought low, The Gilded Age’s preferred mechanism is a dinner, ideally a fancy one with a complicated guest list and a variety of logistical obstacles.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
  • All machines have their friction; and possibly this does enough good to counterbalance the evil.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of friction
Noun
  • How much, if at all, gender nonconformity was accepted, is not directly evident.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
  • In that movie, Keating taught English and poetry, so his open mind and nonconformity worked.
    — Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026
Definition of nonconformity
Noun
  • Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has also warned that Iran would retaliate if Washington reignited the conflict.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Its cost was recovered after just one month of conflict, according to people familiar with the matter.
    — Amena Bakr, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of conflict

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Cite this Entry

“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissent. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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