1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony
considerable dissent within the party's rank and file
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dissent
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissent that was joined by her fellow liberal justices, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
Council member Luke Cavener cast the lone dissenting vote, saying the project would worsen existing challenges in the area.
—Scott McIntosh. Produced With Ai Assistance, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Noun
What drags the installment down, however, is the sheer predictability and lack of dissent, with seven out of the nine votes being unanimous — a foreshadowing of seasons to come.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissent that was joined by her fellow liberal justices, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Verb
In that climate, dissenting speech, political opposition, democratic mobilization and other checks on power become increasingly difficult, even dangerous.
—Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
Council member Luke Cavener cast the lone dissenting vote, saying the project would worsen existing challenges in the area.
—Scott McIntosh. Produced With Ai Assistance, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissent
Noun
-
What should have been a celebratory moment involving the city’s beach ended in discord.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2026
-
After months of stalling and discord, Boise’s Planning and Zoning Commission denied the shelter’s permit in January 2022.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Given that women in other countries do wear lipstick as an act of resistance today, suggesting that American feminists did so in 1912 conflates their wildly different cultural contexts, and blurs one’s sense of what constitutes public dissidence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The dissidence of Minneapolis reminds me of the Argentinian mothers who found themselves in an impossible situation during the military junta of the late 1970s.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Princess of Wales revealed that all three of her children disagree about what music to play in the car during their school drop-off.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
5 June 2026
-
The council said members disagreed with the prime minister over the application of a text that does not comply with the constitutional requirements.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The community in Boulder County has been in good hands through strife and trauma.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
-
The end of a color-blind détente doesn’t justify the means of deliberate racial strife.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Noun
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While Ono faced the public just days after being named UF’s preferred candidate, Bell has spent more than two weeks under the microscope as conservative activists, bloggers and political operatives sifted through his decade-long record in Alabama searching for evidence of ideological heresy.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
Convicted of heresy, Joan of Arc was executed by burning at the stake.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Improving squad planning In recent years — even when the team stood at the top of European football — there was friction with coaches such as Zinedine Zidane and Ancelotti regarding squad planning, because neither held significant decision-making power and both believed more signings were needed.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Day-to-day, sweat, humidity and friction are the routine wear-and-tear concerns.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2026
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
Noun
-
The dreamlike, disturbing stories in this collection by Egyptian writer Makhzangi take place in settings ranging from Egypt toa India to Vietnam to Iraq, often at moments of violent conflict.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Process automation and technology (PA & T) remains a second-half-of-the-year story due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, impacting shipments and delaying upgrades.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissent. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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