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 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 There was no public dissention. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 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
  • Gone was the discord and rudeness that is often synonymous with the Big Apple.
    — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 25 May 2025
  • Evidently, the discord stemmed from their division of labor.
    — Jeremy Helligar, People.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Definition of discord
Noun
  • Lee-Gardner became involved in the dispute and is accused of hitting the homeowner in her head with a pistol.
    — Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2025
  • This dispute is one of several signs revealing a worsening relationship between the two leaders, reflecting broader disagreements on Iran, regional conflicts, economic policy, and diplomatic priorities.
    — Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • Image His support for Mr. Trump has led Tesla’s sales to plummet and has caused strife within his companies, as some employees have taken the rare step of speaking out against their chief executive’s political activity.
    — Theodore Schleifer, New York Times, 20 May 2025
  • In 1961-1962, the U.S. political climate was icy, amid escalating strife with the Soviet Union, but there was a warmth emanating from the burgeoning counterculture movement.
    — Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Definition of strife
Noun
  • The suit recounts numerous comments made by Trump and the White House attacking PBS’ content, to underscore the point that the defunding is motivated by disagreement over speech.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 May 2025
  • The question – at the center of disagreements over transgender athletes’ participation in sports – has echoed from high school running tracks to Olympic arenas as lawmakers and sports bodies face intense pressure to weigh in on a debate over what fair play looks like.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 29 May 2025
Definition of disagreement
Noun
  • One-sided judgments, whether celebrations or condemnations, are met by dissent within the profession.
    — James T. Kloppenberg, Time, 28 May 2025
  • Seed dissent Make sure your groups have people that will dissent – and protect them.
    — George Bradt, Forbes.com, 26 May 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
  • On April 10, tariffs on nearly all Chinese imports, including fireworks, climbed as high as 145% as a tit-for-tat trade conflict between China and the United States escalated.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 26 May 2025
  • President Donald Trump lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuing to attack Ukraine while talks are ongoing between the two countries to find an end to the ongoing conflict.
    — Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • However, California is far from the only state that saw its girls' track and field championships overshadowed by trans athlete controversy.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2025
  • Salgado’s pictures were also freighted with their fair share of controversy.
    — Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 31 May 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 5 Jun. 2025.

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