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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dissident
Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
In the weeks before that dinner, dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the Times and other outlets reported that world leaders had come to suspect the crown prince in the murder.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Riza Shah used the episode to crack down on dissidents and impose strict controls on public gatherings.
—Daniel Thomas Potts, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissident
Adjective
Soon, the childhood acquaintances are embarking on a surveillance caper, eavesdropping on a dissident pop star (Rebecca Naomi Jones).
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
In the weeks before that dinner, dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the Times and other outlets reported that world leaders had come to suspect the crown prince in the murder.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
Russian dissident Leonid Volkov reported receiving one of the phishing emails.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Riza Shah used the episode to crack down on dissidents and impose strict controls on public gatherings.
—Daniel Thomas Potts, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissident
Adjective
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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
-
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
-
Serious or not, secession — or independence, as some prefer to call it — has long been the dream of dissenters, of the discontented and those who feel put upon or politically unrepresented.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That’s the impact Figueroa and Messmann hope to have with the boxing club and other unconventional programs at ATLAS.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The Cubs will need more performances like Thielbar’s over the next week or so from potentially unconventional options in key moments because of injuries that have challenged the bullpen’s depth.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 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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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
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Graham eventually created a work called Heretic about a nonconformist woman who is shunned by her community.—
Elizabeth Blair,
NPR,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The festival kicked off with Tuner, starring Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman and directed by Oscar winner Daniel Roher, and concludes tonight with an 80th birthday party tribute to director John Waters, with the iconoclastic filmmaker present.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
19 Apr. 2026
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And Marc Malkin brings us a Just for Variety interview with John Waters, the iconoclastic director who turns 80 on April 22.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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 24 Apr. 2026.
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