as in dissenting
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
dissident elements within the Catholic Church
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dissenter
a person who believes, teaches, or advocates something opposed to accepted beliefs
the conference drew political dissidents of every ilk
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of dissident
CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Performance artist Otero Alcántara and Grammy winner Maykel Castillo, a rapper known as Maykel Osorbo, created the dissident group San Isidro Movement and have been in prison for joining the antigovernment protests on July 11, 2021.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Russian dissident Leonid Volkov reported receiving one of the phishing emails.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissident
Adjective
Authorities said Topo had ties to a dissident faction of Colombia's FARC guerillas and was wanted by a New York court.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Performance artist Otero Alcántara and Grammy winner Maykel Castillo, a rapper known as Maykel Osorbo, created the dissident group San Isidro Movement and have been in prison for joining the antigovernment protests on July 11, 2021.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
Shailin and her siblings come from a family of dissidents who have long hoped to see the government fall.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Russian dissident Leonid Volkov reported receiving one of the phishing emails.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissident
Adjective
-
Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.—
Elizabeth Sander,
San Antonio Express-News,
19 Aug. 2022
-
The document runs to more than a hundred and fifty pages, and for each question there are affirmative and dissenting studies, as well as some that indicate mixed results.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
3 June 2022
Noun
-
Examples include dissenters citing anti-war sentiments or disapproval of the government’s handling of the Epstein files.—
Maximilian Brichta,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Others have been prosecuted under a counterterrorism law that carries a potential death penalty and has been used to target political and armed opponents, journalists and other dissenters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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It’s based on an unconventional true story from recent history, set on the British Isles, with a tone that alternates between humorous and sorrowful before delivering an uplifting and humanist message, with skillfully invisible filmmaking that takes a backseat to the performances and story.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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ZipRecruiter’s 2026 Graduate Report found that more are turning to unconventional jobs right out of college.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Then there’s Lola Wines, best known for its fresh, esoteric white wines, like Malvasia Bianca and Fiano, and the renegade Tank Garage Winery, beloved by millennials and Gen-Z for its one-off, offbeat blends with irreverent names.—
Jess Lander,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 Apr. 2026
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In an op-ed for Nikkei, a former lawmaker and one-time spokesperson for the previous Taiwanese president warned that the island — which China claims as a renegade province — was not doing enough to strengthen its energy independence and defense capabilities in the face of mainland pressure.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The design was by aviation legend Burt Rutan, known for his bold and often maverick creations.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN,
27 Jan. 2023
-
Sinema has modeled her political approach on the maverick style of the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who alienated the grassroots of his party by sometimes crossing the aisle to work with Democrats.—
Time,
Time,
23 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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When personal finance tips resonate with a viewers’ values, everyday financial decision-making can become colored with politics and nonconformist sentiments.—
Maximilian Brichta,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
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With nonconformist narration and characteristic whimsy, her work offers us a space to wonder and reflect in a fraught time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Massie’s campaign had erected a large tent there, in anticipation that a big crowd would flock to hear perhaps the most outspoken and iconoclastic Republican in Congress.—
Joshua Green,
Bloomberg,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Phillippe, who has a multi-year deal, will star as a brilliant, iconoclastic detective who moves to Nashville from New York.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Drunkenness, like madness, protects the messengers of heretical truth from disbelief, disdain, and retaliation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
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This heretical policy gets some support from yet another rigid convention, that of credits, which separates directors from screenwriters.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissident. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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