Trivia Time

Which Supreme Court justice signaled dissent with a majority opinion by wearing a black collar?

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dissent

American  

[dih-sent] / dɪˈsɛnt /

verb (used without object)

• dissents,
  present (3rd person singular)
• dissented,
  past participle,  past
• dissenting
  present participle

1. to differ in sentiment or opinion, especially from the majority; withhold assent; disagree (often followed byfrom ).

   Two of the justices dissented from the majority decision.

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

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

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noun

1. difference of sentiment or opinion.

   Synonyms:

   opposition, dissatisfaction, disagreement

2. dissenting opinion.

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

   Synonyms:

   opposition, dissatisfaction, disagreement

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

dissent British  

/ dɪˈsɛnt /

verb

1. to have a disagreement or withhold assent

2. 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

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noun

1. a difference of opinion

2. Christianity separation from an established church; Nonconformism

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

Usage

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.

Synonym Usage

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 Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dissenter
  noun
• dissenting
  adjective
• nondissenting
  adjective
• undissenting
  adjective
• dissentingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• dissenting
  present
• dissented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dissent
  simple
• dissents
  simple
• have dissented
  perfect
• has dissented
  perfect
• am dissenting
  progressive
• are dissenting
  progressive
• is dissenting
  progressive
• have been dissenting
  perfect progressive
• has been dissenting
  perfect progressive

Past

• dissented
  simple
• had dissented
  perfect
• was dissenting
  progressive
• were dissenting
  progressive
• had been dissenting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dissent
  simple
• will have dissented
  perfect
• will be dissenting
  progressive
• will have been dissenting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dissent

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English dissenten, from Middle French dissentir, from Latin dissentīre, from dis- dis- ¹ + sentīre “to feel”

Explanation

To dissent is to publicly disagree with an official opinion or decision. Dissent is also a noun referring to public disagreement. Both verb and noun are often used in reference to a statement by a judge who disagrees with a decision made by other judges. Dissent is also used to refer to political opposition to government policies. The verb derives from Middle English, from Latin dissentire, from the prefix dis- "apart" plus sentire "to feel."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dissent dissents dissented dissenting

Since the beginning of the central bank’s modern era about 50 years ago, it has been extraordinarily rare for a sitting Fed chair to dissent on a decision on interest rates.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

But a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020 after huge pro-democracy protests has stymied dissent in the financial hub.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

Though the exhibition intended to grapple with Galliano’s fall from grace and create a necessary dialogue about the limitations of artistic reverence, the dissent was too strong.

From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026

She wants better understanding of its ethic of debate, “the assumption that there will always be dissent, that ‘argument for the sake of heaven’ is a source of profound integrity.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

There’s some dissent, but Haymitch takes our part, and by bedtime, we have a compartment across from Prim and my mother, who agrees to keep an eye on us.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

There were three dissents at the Fed’s July meeting in favor of a rate hike.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

That number of dissents is unusual and illustrative of the challenge the Fed faces in bringing inflation back down to its two-percent target -- a level it hasn't hit in more than five years.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

Still, three dissents in favor of higher rates on the 12-person policy committee-and a sharp rise in long-term bond yields Wednesday—suggested the pressure is mounting for the Fed to act.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

The only way to figure out how the justices decided is if there were dissents.

From Slate ● Jul. 29, 2026

When private interest did all hearts bend, And wild dissents the public peace did rend, Thou, neither won, nor worn, wert still thyself, Not aw'd by force, nor basely brib'd with pelf.

From Poems of Henry Vaughan, Silurist, Volume II by E. K. (Edmund Kerchever) Chambers

While the vote to hold steady in June was unanimous, three officials dissented in July for an increase.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the high court’s decision.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

At the committee's last meeting in July, three regional Fed presidents dissented from the decision to hold rates steady, calling for an immediate 0.25 percentage-point hike to tackle inflation.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

But Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. dissented, along with the court’s three liberals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

Only the queen's men had dissented, and then not loudly.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Former Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., who now serves as the mayor of Oakland, cast the only dissenting vote.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

And as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned in her solo dissenting opinion from the per curiam order, the real issue is not that the court punted a decision on the merits here.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

The motion was approved on a 10-3 vote at Tuesday’s council meeting, with Imelda Padilla, Traci Park and Monica Rodriguez dissenting.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Lorie Logan, the third dissenting vote and president of the Dallas Fed, also issued a statement on Friday, agreeing with the need for "modest action" now to reduce the need for potentially sharper hikes later.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

We were used to her outbursts during Story; in fact, she became part of Story, the dissenting voice to the way things are, the rebel waiting for the fight to be brought.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Related Words

• discord
• dissension
• disunity
• objection
• opposition
• protest
• resistance
• schism
• strife