dissident
adjective
dis·si·dent
ˈdi-sə-dənt 
: disagreeing especially with an established religious or political system, organization, or belief
dissident elements in the armed forces
dissident
noun
Synonyms of dissident
Examples of dissident in a Sentence
dissident elements within the Catholic Church
Recent Examples on the Web
There's the dissident intelligence officer Helmuth von Moltke, a conservative who seeks to work from inside against the Nazis (he gets hanged for his trouble).
—
John Powers, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
Diplomacy with the West In 2003, after a dissident group exposed Iran’s clandestine nuclear activities in 2002 and Iran began facing intensifying international pressure, Araghchi was appointed director of the first department of western Europe in Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Soon, the childhood acquaintances are embarking on a surveillance caper, eavesdropping on a dissident pop star (Rebecca Naomi Jones).
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
In the weeks before that dinner, dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the Times and other outlets reported that world leaders had come to suspect the crown prince in the murder.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
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John Powers, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
Diplomacy with the West In 2003, after a dissident group exposed Iran’s clandestine nuclear activities in 2002 and Iran began facing intensifying international pressure, Araghchi was appointed director of the first department of western Europe in Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Soon, the childhood acquaintances are embarking on a surveillance caper, eavesdropping on a dissident pop star (Rebecca Naomi Jones).
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
In the weeks before that dinner, dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the Times and other outlets reported that world leaders had come to suspect the crown prince in the murder.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dissident
Cite this Entry
“Dissident.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissident. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dissident
adjective
dis·si·dent
ˈdis-əd-ənt
: disagreeing with an opinion or a group
dissident
noun
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