Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DISSENT
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pronounce
DISSENT:
Say it "dih SENT."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Inside our word dissent, you can see how dis- means "differently" and -sent means "to feel."
So, literally speaking, to dissent is "to feel differently" than others--to disagree, to voice your disagreement, to show that you don't share everyone else's opinion.
Dissent is related to lots of words about feelings and expressing them, like sense, sensation, sentence, sensitive, assent, and consent, as well as our word sent____, meaning "perceptive, aware, thinking, feeling." As in, "Oh my god, the robots have become sent____."
Can you recall that one?
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Dissent" has Latin roots that mean "to feel or think differently."
To dissent is to disagree: to have or show a different opinion.
"Dissent" is also a noun. Dissent is disagreement. In other words, dissent is the lack of agreement, or the act of having or showing a different opinion.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech: both a noun ("her dissent") and a verb ("she dissented").
Other common forms:
Dissented, dissenting, dissenter(s).
Although the words "dissident" and "dissidence" are very close in meaning, they aren't actually forms of the word "dissent:" they're based on the Latin word for "to sit," the idea being that dissidents are people who "sit" apart from others.
how to use it:
This word has a formal, serious tone, maybe because we often use it to talk about Supreme Court justices writing up their official dissents: their written explanations of why they disagree with the Court's ruling.
To use the verb, talk about people dissenting: "they dissented against that decision," "she dissented from their opinion," "he dissented only partially from their judgment."
And to use the noun, talk about people's dissent: "they expressed their dissent," "there was no dissent over that issue," "they tried to quell the dissent among the population," "they tried and failed to crush this overwhelming dissent."
Finally, you can talk about dissenting judges, views, and opinions.
examples:
"When committee members discussed who should take the lead in the public questioning, Mr. Schiff said, they all agreed it should be Mr. Goldman — even if that meant giving up their own precious time in the spotlight. 'There wasn’t a whisper of dissent,' the congressman said."
— Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 2 December 2019
"She refused to talk to anyone about the assassination... Thanks to her silence, she survived the 'accidents' that befell other witnesses...so that her dissenting voice would eventually be heard."
— Victoria Emma Pagán, Conspiracy Narratives in Roman History, 2013
has this page helped you understand "dissent"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "dissent" without saying "to oppose" or "opposition."
try it out:
In The Untamed Tongue: A Dissenting Dictionary, Thomas Stephen Szasz expresses his dissent against, well, lots of things.
For example, here's how he defines religion: "Boundless conceit concealed as utmost modesty."
Clearly he's no supporter of religion. He's a dissenter.
Think about some trend, concept, or movement that you strongly oppose. Voice your dissent by writing your own dissenting definition.
You might copy Szasz's pattern: "(Adjective) (noun) concealed as (adjective) (noun)."
before you review, play:
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
Rhyming Puzzles!
I give you a description of something, and you name it in a rhyming phrase. For example, if I say, "This is an ideal environment for a large tree-dwelling lizard--one in which this creature is perfectly happy and peaceful," then you say, "That's iguana nirvana."
The answers will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. If you'd like to see the clue, click or mouse-over the link. I'll share each answer the following day. Enjoy!
From the previous issue: As Christmas approaches--so it's said--an Elf on the Shelf roams its household at night, smashing things up and making other mischief, having a grand time, leaving its destruction proudly on display as if to clap for it. It's ____-__________ ___ _________. (Three words. The first word has four syllables and a hyphen. The second word has one syllable. And the last word has three syllables. Clue: use this word, as well as another Make Your Point word.)
Answer: self-applauding elf marauding.
Try this one today: Your cousin is addicted to hummus and falafel. She's known for getting "drunk" on these foods, then making very sharp, mean comments to everyone. This cousin is a _________ ________-_____. (Two words. The first word has four syllables. To create the second word, start with a two-syllable noun, then tack on a two-syllable suffix with a hyphen. Clue: use this word.)
review this word:
1. The most precise opposites of DISSENT are ASSENT and CONSENT.
But a pretty close opposite of DISSENT is
A. ACCORD.
B. NETWORK.
C. REPARATIONS.
2. Widespread dissent can be called a "dissensus," the precise but rare opposite of a "concensus," meaning "a general _____."
A. feeling of apathy
B. agreement among a group
C. sense of purpose and optimism
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
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Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Inside our word dissent, you can see how dis- means "differently" and -sent means "to feel." "Dissent" has Latin roots that mean "to feel or think differently."
Part of speech: both a noun ("her dissent") and a verb ("she dissented").
This word has a formal, serious tone, maybe because we often use it to talk about Supreme Court justices writing up their official dissents: their written explanations of why they disagree with the Court's ruling.
"When committee members discussed who should take the lead in the public questioning, Mr. Schiff said, they all agreed it should be Mr. Goldman — even if that meant giving up their own precious time in the spotlight. 'There wasn’t a whisper of dissent,' the congressman said."
Explain the meaning of "dissent" without saying "to oppose" or "opposition."
In The Untamed Tongue: A Dissenting Dictionary, Thomas Stephen Szasz expresses his dissent against, well, lots of things.
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The most precise opposites of DISSENT are ASSENT and CONSENT.
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