1. a person who disagrees with or opposes an official opinion, decision, or established belief
2. a member of a Protestant church that separated from the Church of England
Usage: historical; capitalized when referring to specific religious groups

Examples

• The lone dissenter on the committee voted against the proposal.
• She was known as a dissenter who questioned company policies.
• The judge wrote a strong dissenting opinion, marking him as a dissenter.
• Historical Dissenters faced persecution for their religious beliefs.
• The meeting proceeded despite vocal dissenters in the audience.
• As a dissenter from mainstream views, he often felt isolated.
• The Quakers were among the most prominent Dissenters in colonial America.