dissent

Language: en

🇺🇸 /dɪˈsɛnt/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed; disagreement with a prevailing or official view.; A formal statement of disagreement with a majority opinion, especially by a judge in a court case.; Separation from an established church, especially that of England; nonconformity.
  2. verb
    To hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed; to disagree.; To differ in opinion or sentiment; to be of a different mind.; To separate from an established church or religious body; to become a nonconformist.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: dissents 3rd sing.: dissents Past: dissented Past part.: dissented Pres part.: dissenting

Collocations

voice dissentwidespread dissentdissent fromdissenting opinionregister dissentstrong dissent

Derivatives

dissenterdissentingdissension

Synonyms

disagreementoppositionobjectionprotestdisputedisapproval

Antonyms

agreementconsentaccordconsensus

Commonly confused

descent
EN: 'Descent' means the act of moving downward or one's ancestry; 'dissent' means disagreement or opposition.
dissension
EN: 'Dissension' emphasizes internal discord and conflict within a group; 'dissent' focuses on the expression of disagreement itself.
assent
EN: 'Assent' means agreement or approval, the opposite of 'dissent'; note the single 's' vs. double 's'.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the double 's' in 'dissent'. Do not confuse with 'descent' (going down) or 'assent' (agreement), which differ by only one letter.

💬 Examples

  1. There was growing dissent among the party members over the new policy.

  2. The justice filed a strongly worded dissent against the majority ruling.

  3. The history of dissent in England is closely tied to the rise of Puritanism.

  4. Several committee members dissented from the chairman's recommendation.

  5. I must dissent from the view that economic growth alone solves social problems.

  6. Many Puritans dissented from the Church of England in the seventeenth century.