Word
dissident
Phoneticsdis·si·dent, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdɪsədənt/
UK/dˈɪsɪdənt/
Definitions
01political opponent
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. someone who publicly disagrees with the government, especially in a country where it is dangerous to do so.
n. a person who publicly opposes the official policy or structure of an authoritarian state or established organization.
“The government arrested the dissident for writing articles that criticized the president.”
“The prominent dissident was eventually released from prison following intense international pressure and a series of high-profile hunger strikes.”
02religious dissenter
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Formal · Archaic
n. a person who separates from an official or established church because they disagree with its beliefs.
n. one who disagrees with or separates from the established religion of a state.
“In the past, many religious dissidents left their countries to find freedom elsewhere.”
“The seventeenth-century dissidents faced significant legal penalties for refusing to attend services at the national church.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03disagreeing
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. describing a person or group that disagrees with the official rules or government.
adj. characterised by disagreement or opposition to an established administrative or political body.
“The dissident group refused to sign the new peace agreement.”
“The dissident faction within the party argued that the proposed reforms did not go far enough to address economic inequality.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04paramilitary member
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law British English · Technical
n. in Northern Ireland, a member of a group that continues to use violence after a peace deal.
n. a member of a paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland that continues to engage in armed conflict despite a ceasefire.
“Police are monitoring the activities of dissident groups in the city.”
“Security forces remained on high alert following threats from dissident republicans who rejected the terms of the peace accord.”
Teaching tip
This sense is highly specific to the political context of Northern Ireland and the UK media.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“He has already sent assassins to poison Russian dissidents on UK territory including the murder in 2006 of Alexander Litvinenko, killed with radioactive tea.” “Over the next three decades, HKA called on authorities to accept responsibility for the crackdown, free dissidents and introduce democratic reform.” Etymology
From Latin dissidēns, present participle of dissideō (“to sit apart; to disagree”), from dis- (“asunder, apart, in two”) + sedeō (“to sit”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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