“Descent” vs. “Dissent”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “descent” and “dissent”

  • Descent refers to a physical or biological movement, while dissent refers to a social or intellectual disagreement.
  • Descent is mostly objective, based on factual information, while dissent is subjective, based on personal or ideological beliefs.
  • Descent is passive while dissent is active, implying a conscious act of resistance or criticism.
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What is the definition of “descent” and “dissent”?

Descent
  • Descent refers to the act of moving downwards or declining from a higher position or status.
  • It can also mean the origin or lineage of a person or thing.
  • Descent is often used in the context of physical movement or genealogy.
Dissent
  • Dissent means to disagree with or oppose a decision, opinion or action, especially from a position of authority.
  • It can also refer to expressing a minority or different viewpoint.
  • Dissent is typically used in the context of politics, law and other areas of public discourse.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Descent” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
Descent
236,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The hiker began his descent down the steep mountain trail.
  2. The airplane's descent was smooth and gradual.
  3. The family tree shows a clear descent from their ancestors.
Dissent
54,700,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The employees expressed their dissent over the company's new policy.
  2. The politician faced a lot of dissent from his constituents on his controversial bill.
  3. The protest drew thousands of people who voiced their dissent against the corrupt government.
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