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

Public shows of dissent have been suppressed by wartime censorship laws and can trigger hefty fines or long prison sentences.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

And in its zeal to purge the newsroom of dissent, CBS and Weiss may have inadvertently triggered the creation of their most dangerous future competitor — and accidentally set the stage for its own undoing.

From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026

A dissent by presiding Justice Alison Tucher concluded the majority misread the proposition, which she said must adhere to the state’s civil rights laws.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Three dissents in the same direction is rare; a fourth or fifth dissent on the 12-person committee would be without precedent in the modern era.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

There was a murmur of dissent from the sphinxes behind her, and she flicked her tail in a quick whip of frustration, and they quietened.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

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

It was the most dissents in a decade at a normally unified Fed.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026

Hammack and Logan previously signaled their eagerness to lean against inflation with rate increases at the July meeting, so their dissents were broadly expected.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

While Kennedy did not respond to Scalia’s harsh dissents, they hung over their last year together on the court.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

Mr. Lord suggests, that it is inconsistent with the dignity of Christ, to be notified by an angel when to begin his work; and therefore dissents from the application of the symbol to him.

From A Brief Commentary on the Apocalypse by Sylvester Bliss

On Wednesday, three members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee — all leaders of regional Fed banks — dissented from their colleagues, and voted to hike rates.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

Even so, the trio’s stand was notable: Not since 2016 have three officials dissented in the same direction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Three of the court's nine justices dissented from the decision: Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

Other justices dissented, questioning Cook’s property claim and the ruling’s broad scope, potentially inviting future challenges.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

The vote was unanimous, although one member, navy undersecretary Ralph Bard, presently dissented from the third recommendation, resigned his post, and proposed to Stimson that the Japanese receive two or three days’ warning.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

A dissenting judge said the ballroom project is likely acceptable under a federal statute that authorizes the president to take certain steps for the “improvement” of the executive residence at the White House.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

But there are already dissenting members within the confederations, like Bhutan, the Philippines, and the UAE within Asia, who have all backed Infantino.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

The pressure intensified after the Fed on Wednesday held its benchmark rate at 3.5% to 3.75% for a fifth consecutive meeting, with three policymakers dissenting in favor of an increase.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 2, 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

But it was also meant to be a godly community, a religious home for the Puritans, who did not tolerate dissenting views on spiritual matters.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Related Words

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