disagreement
Americannoun
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the act, state, or fact of disagreeing.
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lack of agreement; diversity; unlikeness.
a disagreement of colors.
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difference of opinion; dissent.
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quarrel; dissension; argument.
noun
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refusal or failure to agree
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a failure to correspond
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an argument or dispute
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of disagreement
First recorded in 1485–95; from Anglo-French, Middle French desagrement; equivalent to disagree + -ment
Explanation
A disagreement is a type of conflict, either between people or ideas. No it’s not! Yes it is! It’s an argument. If your opinion contradicts the facts, there's a disagreement. When ideas conflict, there's disagreement. If you want to go to an action movie, but your friend wants to go to a romantic comedy, that's a disagreement. Statements, opinions, and claims can also disagree. If I say my grandmother was a sweet woman, and you say she was a horrible person, that's disagreement. If the IRS finds a disagreement between your taxes and your real income, you could be in trouble.
Vocabulary lists containing disagreement
President Biden's Inaugural Speech (January 2021)
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Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 1)
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Speaking and Listening - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She plans to use the “yes, and” concept and keep conversations going even when there’s disagreement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
He’ll face an unusual amount of disagreement among committee members as well as scrutiny over his own positions given his rhetorical shifts on inflation and Fed policy since he was nominated by President Donald Trump.
From Salon • Jun. 1, 2026
There was a rhetorically violent disagreement between him and the others.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
The current generation of players have decided now is the time to act on a disagreement that has festered for much of the past two decades.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Why is it so hard to have a disagreement with someone that doesn’t mean anything?
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
