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
Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
Justice Adam Tanenbaum, the court’s newest jurist who was appointed by DeSantis in January, wrote a dissent.
—Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
These developments add to growing concerns among rights advocates over restrictions on independent media, civil society and any dissenting voices under Saied.
—Ghaya Ben Mbarek, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Noun
Her dissent was not only concerned about partisanship; Kagan warned that the Callais decision threatens the fundamentals of how our constitutional democracy works.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
Justice Adam Tanenbaum, the court’s newest jurist who was appointed by DeSantis in January, wrote a dissent.
—Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
Will the president’s war of words and punishment of the dissenting faith community escalate further?
—Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
These developments add to growing concerns among rights advocates over restrictions on independent media, civil society and any dissenting voices under Saied.
—Ghaya Ben Mbarek, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissent
Noun
-
Geopolitical turmoil, tax hikes on the wealthy and political discord have driven more wealthy to seek backup plans and residency in other countries.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
-
Instead, a combination of internal disputes, instability around Alvaro Arbeloa’s position and the fact that several players are facing an uncertain future means the picture is one of discord and despondency.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
5 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
-
Someone else could disagree, get offended or think less of you depending on how an exchange goes.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
-
Reasonable minds can disagree, though, and cynicism seems hasty.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
And deep into the invasion of Ukraine, as US support for Kyiv dwindles, European intelligence agencies have significant motivation to suggest mounting strife and paranoia in the Kremlin.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
-
For some on the right, Obama’s remark is the most emblematic moment of his presidency, hauled out again and again by Fox News, Breitbart, and other right-leaning news outlets to remind them of his responsibility for racial strife.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
His campaign is gaining momentum at a time when many of the administration’s steadfast Christian backers—alarmed by the president’s bullying campaign against Pope Leo XIV in recent weeks, among other heresies—have been rethinking their support.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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She was found guilty of heresy and sorcery in 1441.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kennedy said removing tariffs would reduce friction for importers, distributors and independent bottlers sourcing stock from Scotland, while also strengthening long-term confidence across the industry.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
9 May 2026
-
Later, the Moon squares the Sun and may reveal friction between freedom and obligations.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
In that movie, Keating taught English and poetry, so his open mind and nonconformity worked.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Apr. 2026
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Whether Barbara always had such strong feelings about womanhood or developed them in reaction to her kid’s gender nonconformity is unclear.—
Isle McElroy,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But, though the guns of war were a decade in the past, the nation had not escaped the spectre of conflict.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Under previous administrations, including President Barack Obama’s, immigration laws were enforced without this kind of performative conflict.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissent. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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