dissension

noun

di-ˈsen(t)-shən How to pronounce dissension (audio)
variants also dissention
Definition of dissensionnext
1
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dispute
variance of opinion on a matter continued dissension among historians on the exact spot of Columbus's first landing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun dissension contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dissension are conflict, contention, discord, strife, and variance. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

Where would conflict be a reasonable alternative to dissension?

The words conflict and dissension are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

When is contention a more appropriate choice than dissension?

The synonyms contention and dissension are sometimes interchangeable, but contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When might discord be a better fit than dissension?

The words discord and dissension can be used in similar contexts, but discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When is it sensible to use strife instead of dissension?

Although the words strife and dissension have much in common, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

When could variance be used to replace dissension?

The meanings of variance and dissension largely overlap; however, variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dissension The application of Fannie Barrier Williams, a Black woman, caused dissension in the club. —Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025 Hamas was careful to avoid open dissension, but signs of unease among politburo members were evident. —Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2025 Bass has also battled extraordinary dissension in her own ranks, with Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley in interviews Friday characterizing the department as understaffed and underfunded and implying that Bass had failed her. —Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025 These things have proven enduring against internal dissension and civil war, disputed elections, riots, assassinations, leaders of dubious character and competence, and huge cultural changes and conflicts. —The Editors, National Review, 28 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dissension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissension
  1. discord
  2. dispute
  3. strife
  4. disagreement
  5. dissent
  6. disputation
  7. conflict
  8. controversy
Noun
  • There's no discord between he and I, which is great.
    — Rachel McRady, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Today, that might show up as withdrawing at the slightest hint of discord.
    — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of discord
Noun
  • An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment on the cancellations, but the company has noted in its annual report that international trade disputes, including tariffs, pose a risk to its business.
    — Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • No arrests were made, and there was no further investigation into the dispute.
    — Charna Flam, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • All of the women in this show have seen so much strife, but this baby was born in hell.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Weiner’s take on the band novel was partially influenced by real-life musicians, the author says: The strife between members of Fleetwood Mac, which fueled their iconic songs.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of strife
Noun
  • This is the classic day for disagreements with anyone in a position of authority.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Early disagreements or toxic positivity among leaders can leave deep, long-lasting cultural scars that become institutionalized as dysfunction.
    — Tracy Lawrence, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of disagreement
Noun
  • The Court largely voted along party lines, although Republican Justice Amy Coney Barrett crossed over to dissent with the three Democratic justices.
    — Ian Millhiser, Vox, 8 Apr. 2025
  • With Democrats in the minority in both chambers of Congress and the Trump administration staffed by loyalists aiming to root out public and private dissent, the courts are liberals’ main venue for meaningful opposition to the president.
    — Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of dissent
Noun
  • Jake is a single father who has brought Kristen up in the severe Calvinist tradition, marked by Bible disputations of Talmudic intricacy and by a radical detachment from secular and popular culture.
    — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Seven decades later, this culture of disputation emerged as a central theme in Timothy Garton Ash’s The Magic Lantern, his eyewitness report on the Eastern European revolutions of 1989.
    — Susie Linfield, The New York Review of Books, 11 May 2022
Definition of disputation
Noun
  • The pope's Easter message included a call for an end to conflicts in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
    — Phoebe Natanson, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2025
  • There are volunteer opportunities, a teen club, and during the current conflict, the Hesed has become a hub for delivering tons of humanitarian aid, trauma care, and kinship.
    — Maria Zimina, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Up next, a ubiquitous presence on television, unafraid of controversy, sounding off on everything from sports to pop culture to politics.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • The sort-of antagonist in The Last of Us Part II first stirred up controversy when the game originally debuted in 2020.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of controversy

Browse Nearby Words

disseminations
dissension
dissensions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissension. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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