dissensions

noun

variants also dissentions
plural of dissension
1
as in discords
a lack of agreement or harmony religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disputations
variance of opinion on a matter continued dissension among historians on the exact spot of Columbus's first landing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dissensions The revolutionaries failed because of their internal dissensions, because of the distrust of Piedmont by the smaller states, because of the Piedmontese distrust of France, and because of the confusion over the role that the papacy should play in the making of Italy. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissensions
  1. discords
  2. disputations
  3. frictions
  4. disputes
  5. schisms
  6. controversies
  7. conflicts
  8. disagreements
Noun
  • This proves that God’s kingdom is what is truly present, even where earthly discords seem to be.
    — Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 26 May 2026
  • Your dedicated Slack channels, private discords and endless Reddit threads.
    — April Uchitel, Flow Space, 6 Aug. 2025
Definition of discords
Noun
  • This contestation takes place through philosophical debates, religious disputations, and public discussions, whether direct or indirect, open or clandestine.
    — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of disputations
Noun
  • Certain frictions or frustrations became apparent during the reunion as some of those women tried to make their voices heard in the din of lively conversation.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Only there can tingly frictions and glints of revelation emerge.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of frictions
Noun
  • Even as Democrats gain power in states and Congress, many key disputes remain unresolved.
    — MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
  • While the appeal turns on complex legal disputes, political overtones aren't hard to find.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of disputes
Noun
  • But Valdez suggested such schisms within the party would likely take a backseat to unity on domestic concerns like economic issues and immigration.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Swift was preternaturally avoidant of zealotry, with the obscure religious wars between the Lilliputians and the Blefscuans over how to crack an egg reminiscent of internecine Christian schisms concerning the real presence in the Eucharist.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of schisms
Noun
  • Marshall’s campaign, in turn, faced an onslaught of controversies that his critics amplified in the race’s final weeks, including his medical debt collection practices and the blurred lines between his office and campaign staff.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Both candidates faced controversies throughout the campaign, including a dispute over a May traffic stop in which Lombardo was pulled over for allegedly running a red light in Las Vegas.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of controversies
Noun
  • The war has cast a shadow on Persian Gulf nations that have long presented themselves as paragons of stability in a volatile region, mostly unaffected by the conflicts raging in the wider Middle East.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • There are other long shots Trump could attempt, such as trying to end intractable conflicts in Kashmir or Sudan, to forge a reputation as a peacemaker.
    — Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of conflicts
Noun
  • But even within the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu, disagreements remain over how to secure the parliamentary support needed to govern.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Discussing realistic exit scenarios early, and documenting how disagreements will be resolved, protects the relationship as much as the investment.
    — Anas Bhairi, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of disagreements

Browse Nearby Words

dissension
dissensions
dissensus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissensions. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gauntlet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All