as in dissenting
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
dissident elements within the Catholic Church
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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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Recent Examples of dissident
Lily Moayeri, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
But unfortunately, as often happens in dissident movements, Iranians have been much better at tearing one another down than finding points of commonality.
—Stephanie Bai, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Pahlavi remains the most prominent figure among the various dissidents jockeying for a leadership role in a post-Islamic Republic Iran.
—Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissident
Adjective
Among the many imprisoned was dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi, who over the course of three years spent more time behind bars than out of them.
—Lily Moayeri, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
But unfortunately, as often happens in dissident movements, Iranians have been much better at tearing one another down than finding points of commonality.
—Stephanie Bai, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
Mohammadi was killed in a public hanging Thursday, according to Iranian American human rights activists and dissidents.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Pahlavi remains the most prominent figure among the various dissidents jockeying for a leadership role in a post-Islamic Republic Iran.
—Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 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
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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
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But in an autocracy with a leader who is quick to promote allies and punish dissenters, officials have far more reason to implement Xi’s policy preferences than to challenge them.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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Expulsion is extremely rare If the case against Cherfilus-McCormick were not convincing, there would have been a Democratic dissenter, but none was announced.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The situation was finally resolved when a wildlife response team used an unconventional method, crawling under the house and firing paintballs filled with vegetable oil to drive the bear out.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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This unconventional but sweet design was the perfect reference to Margaret’s free spirit.—
Jessica Gibbs,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Not all marketing The renegade spirit isn't all clever marketing.—
Chloe Veltman,
NPR,
1 Apr. 2026
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In the clip, Hart performs push-ups using 15-pound weights, incorporating renegade rows into the move.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
1 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
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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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The Anabaptists were a radical nonconformist sect that took the egalitarian, pacifist, and renunciatory injunctions of the Bible seriously and tried to organize communal living, before being ruthlessly persecuted by the authorities and other Protestant sects.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 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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There’s an iconoclastic aspect to her as well, suggesting a challenge to the gods and nature in figuration that is ultimately rejected.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
27 Feb. 2026
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The film’s official synopsis is a quote attributed to the iconoclastic filmmaker.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
15 Jan. 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 4 Apr. 2026.
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