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 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 There were leadership changes in the IRS and Treasury that resulted in changes to the plan, internal dissension about whether the redesign strategies would support IRS mission requirements, and redirections that caused delays. —Marie Sapirie, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Musk has already triggered internal dissension in the White House, with figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly clashing bitterly with him at a Cabinet meeting over layoffs and government cutbacks at the State Department. —Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 13 Mar. 2025 The application of Fannie Barrier Williams, a Black woman, caused dissension in the club. —Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025 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
  • Approach with caution, look at reviews, and maybe don’t use your main credit card (or at least keep your bank’s dispute line handy).
    — Francesca Krempa, StyleCaster, 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
  • Gregg Ward, executive director at The Center for Respectful Leadership, said that while disagreements between neighbors are common, starting a war is never a good idea.
    — David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 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
  • The Rundown Amy Coney Barrett Siding Against Trump Sparks MAGA Fury A dissent by Justice Amy Coney Barrett in a case concerning President Donald Trump's use of a wartime-era deportation law has triggered a wave of backlash from prominent conservative commentators and supporters of the president.
    — Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 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
  • Faucette alleged that the conflict began in the driveway of Bryant's Apex home around 10 p.m. on Friday after Brown came to pick his child up without a proper car seat, reported CBS17 and WRAL.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
  • This comes after the issue became a bitter fight in the House, with the legislative body even adjourning last week during the conflict.
    — Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of controversy

Browse Nearby Words

disseminations
dissension
dissensions
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Cite this Entry

“Dissension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissension. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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