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
The attack apparently targeted the Iranian Kurdish dissident group Komala, killing at least nine people and wounding others, said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons. — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 In 2017, Ojeda and other young dissident officers had been jailed and tortured in Venezuela. — Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026
Noun
Blake’s 7 tells the story of Roj Blake, a political dissident working against the totalitarian Federation controlling Earth and its colonies. — William Worrall, Space.com, 15 July 2026 Chilean authorities say Gámez organized a kidnapping that resulted in the killing of an exiled Venezuelan dissident there. — Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 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 plan passed a subcommittee vote in May with no dissenters.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • The room reaches agreement before the loudest dissenter has spoken.
    — Janet M Harvey, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of dissenter
Adjective
  • Halsey takes an unconventional approach to a button-up top at Guizo’s new flagship store in Los Angeles on July 23.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026
  • Environmental regulations were already in place in 2008 when the unconventional Marcellus Shale gas boom began, but conventional drilling dates to the Drake well in 1859 – long before modern environmental oversight existed.
    — Nathaniel Warner, The Conversation, 24 July 2026
Definition of unconventional
Noun
  • Wang plays down the potential for renegade robots to wreak havoc.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 July 2026
  • In short, this list reminded me that our radicals and renegades are the best thing about this great nation.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 July 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
  • This dogmatic approach to revolutionary citizenship led to the horrible treatment of any perceived as nonconformist, such as LGBTQ people, hippies or punks.
    — Juan Carlos Albarran, The Conversation, 13 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of nonconformist
Adjective
  • In a retrospective on her career, Sheridan acknowledged her iconoclastic nature.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • But the truth is that our forefathers were sufficiently individualistic to be iconoclastic.
    — Colin Fleming, New York Daily News, 4 July 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 27 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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of parochial

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

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 24

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

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
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
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All