Words / C1

DIS-id-uh-nt/ˈdɪsɪdənt/

A dissident is a person who publicly opposes official policy, often at personal risk: a political dissident, dissident voices. A protester is a cousin; a critic can stay inside the rules; a loyalist sits opposite. A minute that names a missing spare is opposition on paper, not “noise”.

Meaning

A person who publicly opposes the official policy of a government or organisation.

Examples

• “A dissident minute that names the missing spare is still a minute, not “noise”.”
• “Protester is a cousin, often in the street. Whistle-blower stresses leaking wrongdoing. Dissent (already in the dictionary) is the noun of disagreement. Noise is a dismissal. A named gap is a record. Keep the minute; drop the insult.”

Good to know

Someone who publicly opposes official policy. Close: protester. Noun of the act: dissent (already in the dictionary). A named gap is not noise.

Near in meaning

protester

New