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dissident

American  
[dis-i-duhnt] / ˈdɪs ɪ dənt /

noun

  1. a person who dissents.

adjective

  1. disagreeing or dissenting, as in opinion or attitude.

    a ban on dissident magazines.
dissident British  
/ ˈdɪsɪdənt /

adjective

  1. disagreeing; dissenting

"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

noun

  1. a person who disagrees, esp one who disagrees with the government

"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

Other Word Forms

  • antidissident noun
  • dissidence noun
  • dissidently adverb
  • nondissident adjective

Etymology

Origin of dissident

1525–35; < Latin dissident- (stem of dissidēns, present participle of dissidēre to sit apart), equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + -sid- (combining form of sed- repair 1 ) + -ent- -ent

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.

When asked about the potential of dissident republicans being involved in the attack, O'Dowd, who represents Upper Bann, said he did not see support for the groups.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The term "dissident republicans" describes a range of individuals who do not accept the Good Friday Agreement - the 1998 peace deal which ended the worst of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

My own family fled after the 2021 military coup when my mother was put on a wanted list for being a prominent dissident.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

Ramirez's dissident former allies are among the suspects.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

“It’s about this meg normal guy, who doesn’t think about anything until one wacky day, when he meets a dissident with a heart of gold.”

From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson

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.