noun/verb · formal
dissent
/dɪˈsent/di·SENT
Band 7+speakingtask2
Disagreement or refusal to accept a prevailing idea, policy, or decision; can be expressed as a noun or a verb.
Examples
“Several members voiced their dissent at the committee meeting.”
“To dissent from the majority view, she published an alternative report.”
“The government was intolerant of public dissent during the crisis.”
Band 8 sentence
“Dissent within the ruling party signalled deep divisions over the proposed reforms.”
Collocations
- voice dissent
- suppress dissent
- dissenting opinion
Word family
dissent verb / noundissenter noundissenting adjective
Common mistakes
using 'dissent' only as a noun→dissent (noun/verb)
confusing 'dissent' with 'dissatisfaction'→dissent
Say it for a higher band
5disagreement→6protest→7+dissent
Synonyms
protest
Easily confused
protest
“Thousands gathered to protest the new policy.”
Related words
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In Society & Government
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