dissident

adjective

dis·​si·​dent ˈdi-sə-dənt How to pronounce dissident (audio)
Synonyms of dissident
: disagreeing especially with an established religious or political system, organization, or belief
dissident elements in the armed forces
dissident noun

Synonyms of dissident

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Examples of dissident in a Sentence

dissident elements within the Catholic Church
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dislocation from tariffs, onshoring, war, oil, and supply shocks present opportunities for dissident shareholders to show laggards the way. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 25 June 2026 But cartels and dissident groups still control pockets of the country, cocaine exports are at an all-time high and Colombia remains one of the world's most economically unequal countries. — CBS News, 22 June 2026 And major Russian language book fairs, focused on dissident literature, are becoming more common across Europe. — Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 Earlier this year Nadav Lapid, the award-winning Israeli dissident filmmaker, traveled with his son to Marseille for a screening of his latest film. — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissident

Word History

Etymology

Latin dissident-, dissidens, present participle of dissidēre to sit apart, disagree, from dis- + sedēre to sit — more at sit

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissident was in 1769

Browse Nearby Words

dissidence
dissident
dissight
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissident.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissident. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dissident

adjective
dis·​si·​dent ˈdis-əd-ənt How to pronounce dissident (audio)
: disagreeing with an opinion or a group
dissident noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dissident

Nglish: Translation of dissident for Spanish Speakers

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