Decent vs Descent vs Dissent: Which One Do You Need?
Decent means acceptable. Descent is going down, or ancestry. Dissent is disagreement.
A decent meal. The descent from the summit. A note of dissent.
The test that settles it
Only decent is an adjective. Of the two nouns, one is about going down and the other about disagreeing.
“a ___ proposal” → describing it, so decent.
“voices of ___” → disagreement, so dissent.
Decent: acceptable or respectable
An adjective meaning good enough, or morally sound. In informal British use it also means kind.
They found a decent flat.
It was decent of him to call.
A decent standard of living.
Swap in respectable or reasonable. If it works, decent.
Descent: going down, or ancestry
A noun with two branches: physical downward movement, and the line you are descended from.
The descent took two hours.
She is of Portuguese descent.
A rapid descent into chaos.
Swap in going down or ancestry. If either works, descent.
Dissent: disagreement
A noun and a verb, meaning refusal to agree with an official or majority view.
There was little dissent in the room.
Two judges dissented.
A dissenting opinion.
Swap in disagreement. If it works, dissent.
Side by side
| Decent | Descent | Dissent |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | Noun | Noun and verb |
| Acceptable | Going down or ancestry | Disagreement |
| One s | One s, with c | Two s |
| A decent offer | A steep descent | Open dissent |
Where people get it wrong
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| a dissent proposal | a decent proposal | Describing the proposal. |
| of Irish decent | of Irish descent | Ancestry. |
| The plane began its dissent. | The plane began its descent. | Going down. |
| He voiced his descent. | He voiced his dissent. | Disagreement. |
Practice — choose the right word, then check yourself.
- She comes from Welsh ___.
- It was a ___ attempt.
- The judge filed a ___ opinion.
- The ___ was steeper than expected.
- There was no ___ from the floor.
Show the answers
1. descent 2. decent 3. dissenting 4. descent 5. dissent
Frequently asked
Why is descent the common mistake?
Because of Irish decent is quick to type and looks plausible. The -scent spelling matches descend.
Are dissent and descend related?
No. Dissent comes from Latin for feeling apart; descend from climbing down.
More words people confuse
