dissident
- 01 C2 Proficiency
n.a person who separates from or disagrees with the main, established church of their country.
n.one who disagrees with or separates from an established religious body or orthodoxy.
Simple“In the past, many dissidents left the country to practice their religion freely.”
In context“The seventeenth-century dissidents faced heavy fines and social exclusion for refusing to attend the services of the state church.”
SynonymsnonconformistschismaticAntonymsconformist - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a person or group that disagrees with the official rules or government.
adj.characterised by disagreement or opposition to an established political or social authority.
Simple“The dissident group refused to follow the new laws passed by the council.”
In context“The publication of dissident views was strictly prohibited under the new censorship laws introduced by the military junta.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a member of a group that continues to use violence even after a peace agreement has been signed.
n.a member of a paramilitary group that rejects a ceasefire or peace settlement, specifically in the context of Northern Ireland.
Simple“Police are investigating a recent attack believed to be carried out by dissidents.”
In context“Security forces remained on high alert following threats from dissident factions who refused to recognise the legitimacy of the peace treaty.”
UsageCommonly used in Irish and British news media to refer to groups opposing the Good Friday Agreement.
“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.”
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.