dissident 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdi-sə-dənt How to pronounce dissident (audio)
Definition of dissidentnext
as in dissenting
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices dissident elements within the Catholic Church

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dissident

2 of 2

noun

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

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 dissident
Adjective
Poland’s prime minister says the shooting death of a Russian dissident artist outside his home bears the hallmarks of a political assassination that, if Kremlin-ordered, could constitute state terrorism. — Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026 Earlier this year Nadav Lapid, the award-winning Israeli dissident filmmaker, traveled with his son to Marseille for a screening of his latest film. — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Noun
Iran hawks and an array of dissidents and mainstream voices within the Republican Party have cast doubt on whether the agreement secured satisfactory concessions from Iran. — Matthew Kelly updated June 18, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026 These festivals have no problem programming Iranian or Russian dissidents. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissident
  1. dissenting
  2. dissenter
  3. unconventional
  4. renegade
  5. maverick
  6. nonconformist
  7. iconoclastic
  8. heretical
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
Definition of dissenting
Noun
  • The issue of granting birthright citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants also concerned the dissenters.
    — Amanda Frost, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • The three full dissenters from the court's ruling all believed the decision was historic, and historically wrong.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of dissenter
Adjective
  • Once regarded as one of baseball's better outfield prospects, Cameron has now taken an unconventional route back toward the majors.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Your 9th House of Higher Learning activates as the Moon conjoins unconventional Uranus there, inviting you to widen your view and experiment with a different path.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2026
Definition of unconventional
Noun
  • There are Sixties rock bands like the Sonics and the Small Faces, and pioneering hippie renegades like Love or the Thirteenth Floor Elevators.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2026
  • The president can call out the army against seceding states and their renegade congresspeople.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Definition of renegade
Adjective
  • The design was by aviation legend Burt Rutan, known for his bold and often maverick creations.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 27 Jan. 2023
  • But the true landmark was Pierre Balmain’s Vent Vert, created by maverick female perfumer Germaine Cellier (also the mastermind behind Robert Piguet’s showstopping Fracas) in 1947.
    — Town & Country, Town & Country, 19 Dec. 2022
Definition of maverick
Adjective
  • In the end, Levine’s profile of the nonconformist genius reveals just how superb a dancer Cole was.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
  • 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
Definition of nonconformist
Adjective
  • But the truth is that our forefathers were sufficiently individualistic to be iconoclastic.
    — Colin Fleming, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
  • The cycle can probably only be broken only by the election of iconoclastic radical politicians.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of iconoclastic
Adjective
  • In the 14th century, Bibles in English became associated with John Wycliffe, a priest who criticized corruption in the Catholic Church, and whose views on Holy Communion the church had declared heretical.
    — Michael Bruening, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
  • This point can sound almost heretical in modern healthcare discourse, where prevention is frequently framed as both morally superior and financially inevitable.
    — Jeffrey Wessler, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Definition of heretical

Browse Nearby Words

dissidences
dissident
dissidents
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissident. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dissident

Nglish: Translation of dissident for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All