dissension

noun

dis·​sen·​sion di-ˈsen(t)-shən How to pronounce dissension (audio)
variants or less commonly dissention
Synonyms of dissensionnext
: disagreement
especially : partisan and contentious quarreling
causing dissension within the police department
a colony threatened by religious dissension

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for dissension

discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony.

discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

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

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

contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

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

Examples of dissension in a Sentence

The incident has caused a lot of dissension within the police department. Religious dissension threatened to split the colony.
Recent Examples on the Web But Franklin faced dissension from within his own ranks. —Vanessa Armstrong, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024 And Biden faces dissension within his own party over his steadfast support for Israel in its war against Hamas. —USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dissension 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dissension.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French discension, from Latin dissension-, dissensio, from dissentire — see dissent entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissension was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dissension

disseminule

dissension

dissensus

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Dissension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissension. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

dissension

noun
dis·​sen·​sion dis-ˈen-chən How to pronounce dissension (audio)
: disagreement in opinion : discord

More from Merriam-Webster on dissension

Nglish: Translation of dissension for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of dissension for Arabic Speakers

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