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
Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The dissident German contingent published their impressions of the Situationist conference in their own journal, SPUR, a much more fanciful tale than the serious French account.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Michael Paarlberg, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Advertisement But pro-democracy figures have argued that local governance has grown increasingly aligned with the mainland as political dissidents have either been jailed or exiled, organizations have disbanded, and a free press dismantled.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissident
Adjective
And anyone who dares to peek behind the curtain—journalists, dissident professors, activists, even, bizarrely, the Iranian president himself—becomes a threat to the regime.
—Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The dissident German contingent published their impressions of the Situationist conference in their own journal, SPUR, a much more fanciful tale than the serious French account.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Authoritarian states have learned to insulate themselves from diaspora pressure while simultaneously using emigration as a safety valve, turning potential dissidents into remittance-senders – as Cuba did by abolishing exit visas in 2013.
—Michael Paarlberg, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Advertisement But pro-democracy figures have argued that local governance has grown increasingly aligned with the mainland as political dissidents have either been jailed or exiled, organizations have disbanded, and a free press dismantled.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 10 Feb. 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 the shadows, amid growing unease at the blood-thirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
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However, such a storied brand as Clinique even knows a universally flattering shade can still have its dissenters.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The internationally famous doughnut shop, which is known not only for its bold and unconventional creations but also for hosting nontraditional wedding ceremonies, has opened in Wynwood, with the flavors that have transformed it from a cult favorite to a megahit across the country.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
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Late last month, Hudson pulled off an unconventional styling trick for a London outing.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Clad in red, white and black, the renegade scientist’s sartorial inspiration is not bound to a single era.—
Emma Fraser,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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But in order to remain a meaningful platform for creative renegades, the festival needs to also take risks.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 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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Once ridiculed and dismissed for his nonconformist views on vaccines, nutrition, and exercise, Kennedy now leads a vast legion of followers and acolytes.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
17 Jan. 2026
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As such, the city takes on its own distinctively sooty, nonconformist character.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Consisting entirely of text, the iconoclastic video installation was shown briefly on television, in airtime purchased by the artists, to alert unsuspecting spectators to TV advertising’s role—and their own complicity—in maintaining the status quo.—
Michael Cowan,
Artforum,
1 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 25 Feb. 2026.
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