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 Obviously, discussing whether a polo shirt can be worn with a tie elicits far less dissension than ethical matters, but in both cases readers are primarily interested in entertainment, not advice. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025 Carney has committed to a major expansion of the Canadian energy sector after almost a decade of dissension between energy producers and Ottawa. David Frum, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025 The result was the biggest dissension among Fed governors since late 1993. Jenni Reid, CNBC, 31 July 2025 The dissension in the City Council will only the make the process of agreeing on solutions to close the gap — potential new taxes, fees, service cuts or furloughs — politically tougher. A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissension
Noun
  • Trustees ‘feel their powers have been reduced’ At the center of the current discord, according to a source, is the fact that Tata Sons is supposed to receive prior approval from Tata Trusts for any major financial investments.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
  • To what was such a spasmodic discord owed?
    Julio Cortázar, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Musk later cited the pay dispute as part of the reason why Tesla shifted its corporate home to Texas from Delaware.
    Kara Carlson, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Here’s how a community dispute escalated into a deadly tragedy.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Despite all odds—geopolitical strife and upheaval, an economic instability and rising inflation—shoppers are still spending.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
  • During the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992-98, violent ethnic and religious strife boiled over among Muslims, Orthodox Christians, and Catholics.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • After days of chaos and disagreement at the IMO talks, Singapore put forward a motion to delay the decision on Friday, which was called to a vote by Saudi Arabia.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The dual actors’ and writers’ strikes disrupted plans to release the movie in the fall of 2023, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter, and from there, strategic disagreements between the studio and MacLachlan led to a dissolution of the relationship.
    David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But dissent is not an option for the vast majority of maquila workers.
    Ladan Anoushfar, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Prominent Hollywood celebrities, like Glenn Close, Spike Lee and Jean Smart, have voiced their resounding support for the countrywide day of dissent.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Noun
  • In Warhead, Wright explains how armed conflict impacts every part of our brain, from the instinctive reflexes of our reptilian brainstem to the cognitive and metacognitive functions of the prefrontal cortex.
    Big Think, Big Think, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Thomas warns, the square with Pluto is particularly challenging, representing unexpected hurdles, conflicts, and hardship thrust at us from left field.
    Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • His political director quit the two-month-old campaign, and the candidate apologized — but now Platner is taking a rare, risky approach by leaning into the controversy.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Appointments follow months of policy controversy The appointments mark the next step taken by Sumner County conservatives to pass the controversial policy, which has seen substantial pushback for First Amendment concerns.
    Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dissension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissension. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

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