dissent

[ dih-sent ]

/ dɪˈsɛnt /

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See synonyms for: dissent / dissenting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to differ in sentiment or opinion, especially from the majority; withhold assent; disagree (often followed by from): Two of the justices dissented from the majority decision.

to disagree with the methods, goals, etc., of a political party or government; take an opposing view.

to disagree with or reject the doctrines or authority of an established church.

noun

difference of sentiment or opinion.

dissenting opinion.

disagreement with the philosophy, methods, goals, etc., of a political party or government.

separation from an established church, especially the Church of England; nonconformity.

OTHER WORDS FOR dissent

4, 6 disagreement, dissatisfaction, opposition.

See synonyms for dissent on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of dissent

1400–50; late Middle English dissenten (<Middle French dissentir) <Latin dissentīre, equivalent to dis-dis-¹ + sentīre to feel

synonym study for dissent

4, 6. Dissent, dissidence mean disagreement with the majority opinion. Dissent may express either withholding of agreement or open disagreement. Dissidence, formerly much the same as dissent, has come to suggest not only strong dissatisfaction but a determined opposition.

OTHER WORDS FROM dissent

dis·sent·ing·ly, adverbnon·dis·sent·ing, adjective, nounun·dis·sent·ing, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH dissent

decent, descent, dissent

Words nearby dissent

disseminating, dissemination, disseminator, disseminule, dissension, dissent, dissenter, dissentient, dissenting opinion, dissentious, dissepiment

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

DISSENT VS. DESCENT

What's the difference between dissent and descent?

Dissent can be a noun meaning disagreement, as in I voiced my dissent, or a verb meaning to disagree, as in The judge is expected to dissent. Descent is a noun that means the act of moving downward (descending), a downward movement, or downward movement in general.

The two words are pronounced exactly the same.

Perhaps the best way to remember the difference between the two is to think about what related words mean and how they’re spelled. Words related to dissent involve agreement or disagreement and end with -sent, including assent and consent.

Words related to descent involve movement and are spelled with sc, including descend, ascent, ascension, and transcend.

Here’s an example of dissent and descent used correctly in a sentence.

Example: There was dissent among the climbers about whether they should attempt the descent during the storm.

Quiz yourself on dissent vs. descent!

Should dissent or descent be used in the following sentence?

The plane’s rapid _____ was caused by a faulty engine.

How to use dissent in a sentence

So, we instituted something we call “farming for dissent,” where on these big decisions everybody has to write down in public in a shared document, how they feel about the idea and their judgment about it.
What if Your Company Had No Rules? (Bonus Episode)|Maria Konnikova|September 12, 2020|Freakonomics
The law, aimed at silencing dissent, shattered the notion that Hong Kong’s legislature is independent from Beijing.
Hong Kong’s citywide COVID-19 testing has become a barometer of public trust|eamonbarrett|September 9, 2020|Fortune
He said Ikhrata was trying to remove a voice of dissent on the SANDAG board.
One Race Could Make or Break Plans to Overhaul the Region’s Transportation System|Jesse Marx|August 13, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Given Lukashenko’s control over the system — he won’t allow independent election observers — it remains unlikely that Tikhanovskaya will win outright, but the past couple of weeks have fueled the fire of a growing dissent.
Could She Upset Belarus’ Dictator?|Pallabi Munsi|August 5, 2020|Ozy

Justice Alito filed a separate dissent, joined by Justice Thomas.
The Supreme Court Decision To Grant Protections To LGBT Workers Is An Important Expansion Of The Civil Rights Act|LGBTQ-Editor|June 18, 2020|No Straight News
In other words, fluoride is a broad-spectrum, bipartisan, long-lasting magnet for dissent.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Priests often preach support for the regime to their congregations, many of whom loudly dissent.
In One Corner of Syria, Christmas Spirit Somehow Manages to Survive|Peter Schwartzstein|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As noted by Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey in dissent, this is an outrageous position.
All The Wrong Reasons to Ban Gay Unions|Jay Michaelson|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Others also suspect civil groups with funding coming from Mainland China are sowing dissent.
Hong Kong’s Triads Attack Protestors|Ben Leung|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Racial mistrust, military tactics against citizens, dissent quashed.
Ferguson Shows a Nation at War With Itself|Roland S. Martin|August 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What justifies the disruption requires a dissent from the civil power, as a power not of God.
The Ordinance of Covenanting|John Cunningham
The first reading was carried without a division, the Duke of Richmond being the only peer who expressed dissent.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
It requires more power and strength of mind and decision of character to dissent from the Church of the State than to support it.
East Anglia|J. Ewing Ritchie
For from these three Chapels came not only the impulse of the spiritual life of Llanyglo, but its local politics of dissent also.
Mushroom Town|Oliver Onions
He was re-nominated the next year without dissent or opposition, but declined a re-election on account of ill health.
The Bay State Monthly, Vol. II, No. 6, March, 1885|Various

British Dictionary definitions for dissent

dissent

/ (dɪˈsɛnt) /

verb (intr)

to have a disagreement or withhold assent

Christianity to refuse to conform to the doctrines, beliefs, or practices of an established church, and to adhere to a different system of beliefs and practices

noun

a difference of opinion

Christianity separation from an established church; Nonconformism

the voicing of a minority opinion in announcing the decision on a case at law; dissenting judgment

Derived forms of dissent

dissenter, noundissenting, adjectivedissentingly, adverb

Word Origin for dissent

C16: from Latin dissentīre to disagree, from dis- 1 + sentīre to perceive, feel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

dissent

OTHER WORDS FOR dissent

Origin of dissent

synonym study for dissent

OTHER WORDS FROM dissent

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH dissent

Words nearby dissent

DISSENT VS. DESCENT

What's the difference between dissent and descent?

Quiz yourself on dissent vs. descent!

Words related to dissent

How to use dissent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dissent

Derived forms of dissent

Word Origin for dissent