Home › Communication › Disagreements & Denials › dissent

dissent

dih-SENT /dɪˈsent/

verbnounC1GRESATIELTSUPSC

formallegalacademic

To hold or express opinions that are at variance with those commonly or officially held; or the expression of such disagreement.

Implies a principled, often public or formal disagreement with a majority or authority figure, rather than a petty argument.

The story behind the word. From the Latin dissentire, which literally translates to 'to feel apart' or 'to feel differently.' It entered Middle English to describe those who refused to conform to the doctrines of the Church of England.

Word relationships

disagreement: Disagreement is a general term, whereas dissent specifically implies opposing a prevailing authority or majority view.
nonconformity: Nonconformity refers to behavior or lifestyle choices, while dissent is focused on intellectual or political disagreement.

assent: Assent is the formal expression of agreement with a proposal or opinion.
concurrence: Concurrence is agreement in action, opinion, or time.

Commonly confused with

descend: Descend means to move downward, whereas dissent means to disagree.

Word family

dissenter (noun): A person who dissents from an established church, political party, or majority opinion.
dissentient (adjective): Expressing dissent from the opinion of the majority.

Collocations

voice dissent
stifle dissent
dissenting opinion
popular dissent

Idioms & expressions

agree to disagree

Example sentences

"Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was famous for her passionate dissent in the Shelby County case, wearing her special 'dissent collar' to signal her disagreement." A famous legal dissent by a Supreme Court Justice.
"The CEO encouraged honest dissent during board meetings, believing that blind agreement led to poor strategic choices." Corporate decision-making.

Memory hook

Dissent sounds like 'dis-sent' (sent away). If you dissent, your opinion is sent away from the main group. Feel apart, stand apart.

When not to use

Do not use for simple, casual disagreements like deciding where to eat dinner.

Fun facts

In the US Supreme Court, a dissenting opinion does not carry the force of law, but it often serves as a roadmap for future legal battles that eventually overturn old precedents.