variants also dissention

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun dissension contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dissension are conflict, contention, discord, strife, and variance. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Where would conflict be a reasonable alternative to dissension?

The words conflict and dissension are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

When is contention a more appropriate choice than dissension?

The synonyms contention and dissension are sometimes interchangeable, but contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When might discord be a better fit than dissension?

The words discord and dissension can be used in similar contexts, but discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When is it sensible to use strife instead of dissension?

Although the words strife and dissension have much in common, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

When could variance be used to replace dissension?

The meanings of variance and dissension largely overlap; however, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

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 dissension The current dissension in her alliance motivates her to risk it, and she's rewarded with Safety Without Power. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Without a strong central authority—not a dictator or a king but a unifying rule of law—a free state would be torn apart by demagogues and dissension. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 Our challenge, beyond putting on an indelible show, was to find a way to make our dissension clear, with dignity and creativity. Ryan Miller, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025 There were leadership changes in the IRS and Treasury that resulted in changes to the plan, internal dissension about whether the redesign strategies would support IRS mission requirements, and redirections that caused delays. Marie Sapirie, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissension
Noun
  • More: Trump says US intel briefed him about how Iran wants to assassinate him to sow discord in US Tehran’s regional power also has been eroded by the death of its strongest regional ally, Syrian strongman Bashir al-Assad.
    Josh Meyer, USA Today, 23 June 2025
  • Success, progress and wins tend to naturally quiet the discord.
    Joe Altieri, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • The simmering dispute comes as protesters showed up at Dodger Stadium on Thursday to decry Dodgers’ silence amidst immigration raids and unrest in Los Angeles.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 21 June 2025
  • News to Know Wisconsin lawsuit accuses Miami of tampering In the latest legal dispute amid the changing landscape of college sports, the University of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against the University of Miami yesterday for allegedly tampering with a football player.
    and Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • The Middle East strife also led to a joint statement from G7 leaders, which affirmed support for Israel and sought a resolution to the region’s tensions.
    Patrick Knickerbocker, CNBC, 17 June 2025
  • In the absence of a viable, united, and organized alternative inside or outside Iran, the fall of the Islamic Republic might send the country into a period of civil strife—or lead to a military dictatorship determined to obtain nuclear deterrence.
    Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • Though the talks fell apart over disagreements on what measures North Korea would take toward disarmament and Trump’s reluctance to offer sanctions relief, the summits ended on a surprisingly hopeful note, with the two leaders walking away as pen pals.
    Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
  • For decades, Kahneman and Gary Klein, a psychologist who researches naturalistic decision-making, had a running disagreement about whether human intuition could be trusted.
    Gabriel Snyder, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Trump became the first sitting president to go to the Super Bowl in his second term and there has generally been less dissent from the sports world this time round.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • Rather than meeting dissent with dialogue or reform, the Trump administration chose curfews, soldiers, and a deliberate rebranding of protest as rebellion.
    Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • Jake is a single father who has brought Kristen up in the severe Calvinist tradition, marked by Bible disputations of Talmudic intricacy and by a radical detachment from secular and popular culture.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Seven decades later, this culture of disputation emerged as a central theme in Timothy Garton Ash’s The Magic Lantern, his eyewitness report on the Eastern European revolutions of 1989.
    Susie Linfield, The New York Review of Books, 11 May 2022
Noun
  • Global market sentiment is becoming more skittish over the conflict between Iran and Israel and the possibility of further U.S. involvement.
    Ganesh Rao,Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 19 June 2025
  • Sen Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, moved to limit Trump's powers by introducing a floor resolution that would require approval from Congress before the U.S. could get involved in a military conflict with Iran.
    Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • The original, shot by Bryce Anderson, drew a lot of attention and controversy, with many critiquing the image as a provocative and degrading towards women.
    Thania Garcia, Variety, 25 June 2025
  • The changes come amid several controversies facing the Texas Lottery in recent years, particularly on the issue of courier purchases.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dissension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissension. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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