1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony
considerable dissent within the party's rank and file
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dissidence
departure from a generally accepted theory, opinion, or practice
the church reacted to any form of dissent by promptly excommunicating its proponents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to disagree
to have a different opinion
anyone who dissented was encouraged to speak out while they had the chance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dissent
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
At the same time, org leaders have squelched all internal dissent regarding Israel.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
These developments add to growing concerns among rights advocates over restrictions on independent media, civil society and any dissenting voices under Saied.
—Ghaya Ben Mbarek, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Noun
The women’s rulings are among the latest in a series of punishments issued amid a broader government crackdown on dissent.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
At the same time, org leaders have squelched all internal dissent regarding Israel.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Will the president’s war of words and punishment of the dissenting faith community escalate further?
—Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
These developments add to growing concerns among rights advocates over restrictions on independent media, civil society and any dissenting voices under Saied.
—Ghaya Ben Mbarek, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissent
Noun
-
Officials say a goal of the attacks is to undermine support for Ukraine, spread fear and discord in European societies and drain investigative resources.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Attempts to sow discord and prevent extended defunding from being included must be put aside.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Given that women in other countries do wear lipstick as an act of resistance today, suggesting that American feminists did so in 1912 conflates their wildly different cultural contexts, and blurs one’s sense of what constitutes public dissidence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The dissidence of Minneapolis reminds me of the Argentinian mothers who found themselves in an impossible situation during the military junta of the late 1970s.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sanchez and Stewart have disagreed on housing policy in the city, but both have said there is a critical need to balance the expansion of market-rate apartments with units that are within reach of below-average wage earners.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
-
One judge might view rap lyrics as relevant; another may disagree.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Planting shrubs that can grow as high as two stories is a way to combat some of the strife caused by the traffic.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Friday that the EU is ready to work with Persian Gulf countries for new projects conveying energy to global markets that wouldn’t be held hostage to war or geopolitical strife.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His campaign is gaining momentum at a time when many of the administration’s steadfast Christian backers—alarmed by the president’s bullying campaign against Pope Leo XIV in recent weeks, among other heresies—have been rethinking their support.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
-
She was found guilty of heresy and sorcery in 1441.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Investments that reduce friction, formalize processes, or expand access tend to generate both financial returns and developmental progress.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
The affection and regard Red Sox ownership had for Cora, who outlasted Breslow’s predecessors, Dave Dombrowski (2015-19) and Chaim Bloom (2019-23), also caused friction.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
In that movie, Keating taught English and poetry, so his open mind and nonconformity worked.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Whether Barbara always had such strong feelings about womanhood or developed them in reaction to her kid’s gender nonconformity is unclear.—
Isle McElroy,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But none of these conflicts affected so many corners of the world as swiftly as the Iran war.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
While they are all expected to leave interest rates unchanged, investors are keen to know how officials view the inflation threat posed by the oil shock stemming from the US-Iran conflict.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissent. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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