1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony
considerable dissent within the party's rank and file
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2
as in dissention
departure from a generally accepted theory, opinion, or practice
the church reacted to any form of dissent by promptly excommunicating its proponents
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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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Recent Examples of dissent
Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
That indictment signaled the first time the United States had criminally charged top Syrian officials with human rights abuses used to silence dissent and spread fear through the country.
—Adam Goldman, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 10 Dec. 2024
Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart, two Democrats who lost their reelection bids in November, dissented and took shots at their Republican colleagues.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dissent 
Noun
Detention and torture became an integral part of the state’s repression of dissent.
—Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
That indictment signaled the first time the United States had criminally charged top Syrian officials with human rights abuses used to silence dissent and spread fear through the country.
—Adam Goldman, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
Conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented from the decision to pass over the case, according to the Court’s official memo on the decision.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 10 Dec. 2024
Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart, two Democrats who lost their reelection bids in November, dissented and took shots at their Republican colleagues.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dissent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissent
Noun
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The two leaders have alternated between strategic alignment and open discord, with McConnell distancing himself following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
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There’s discord and violence — at Poppy’s school, out in London, even during her driving lessons with the ornery, proto–men’s rights advocate Scott (Eddie Marsan).Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Bill Maher disagreed with actor Jon Cryer that the 2024 election could be chalked up to concerns about inflation.Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Jan. 2025
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In my experience, even when team members disagree, respectful debates can drive innovation and transform sometimes divisive issues into opportunities for creative and collaborative problem-solving.Michael Horowitz, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Following the recent unreliability and rumors of heresy, the remaining Hierarchs replaced the Sangheili with the Jiralhanae as their military leaders.Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 29 Dec. 2024
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That prompted the Vatican earlier this week to issue a statement stressing that the blessings don’t constitute heresy and there were no doctrinal grounds to reject the practice.San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2024
Noun
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Economic Relief: Years of strife in Syria ruined the country’s energy sector, battered its currency and strangled growth.Carlotta Gall, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2025
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That has led them to focus more on their core fossil fuel businesses at a time of geopolitical strife.Mike Allen, Axios, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This demand for nonconformity reflects a broader narrative rooted in American history, where risk-taking and resilience have been essential to the nation’s identity.Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
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The nonconformity factor produced a surprisingly realistic result.Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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For instance, the tension between your need for personal freedom and the demands of others could create friction.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
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But satin glides against your hair with no friction and doesn’t soak up the oils your hair is desperately clinging to during the low-humidity season.Clint Davis, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Although Iran is brimming with dissidence, no coherent resistance movement has emerged.Eric S. Edelman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Apr. 2020
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The death of Russian opposition figure and outspoken Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny in prison last month punctuated a merciless crackdown on dissidence in Russia that has accelerated during its war with Ukraine.Anna Chernova, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
Noun
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Old conflicts or issues within your social circle may resurface, but this is also an opportunity to reconnect with the individuals and passions that fuel and uplift you.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
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Exploring family bonds between fathers, sons and brothers through personal journeys and generational conflicts, the film’s cast also features Sean Bean and Samantha Morton.Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Dissent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissent. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.
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