Y10W02VC Theme Words — Authoritarianism & resistance

Dissent is the expression of disagreement or disapproval, especially against an official, dominant, or widely accepted opinion or policy.

Word Breakdown: dis- (prefix meaning ‘away from’ or ‘against’)

Word family: dissenter (n.), dissident (n.), dissenting (adj.)

Example: The novel centres on a group of citizens whose peaceful dissent is met with increasing state violence.

Synonyms: opposition, protest, disagreement

Collocations: express dissent, political dissent, dissent from

To suppress means to forcibly prevent something from being expressed, known, or developed — especially ideas, feelings, or opposition to those in power.

Word Breakdown: sup- (prefix meaning ‘under’ or ‘beneath’ (from sub-))

Word family: suppression (n.), suppressive (adj.)

Example: The authoritarian regime suppressed all forms of political opposition through censorship and imprisonment.

Synonyms: crush, stifle, silence

Collocations: suppress dissent, suppress evidence, suppress a protest

Opposition refers to resistance to or disagreement with a particular idea, policy, action, or person in authority.

Word Breakdown: op- (prefix meaning ‘against’, variant of ob-)

Word family: opponent (n.), oppose (v.), opposing (adj.)

Example: The party faced strong opposition from within its own ranks over the new economic policy.

Synonyms: resistance, objection, disagreement

Collocations: face opposition, political opposition, in opposition to

To generate means to produce, create, or bring something into existence, particularly as a result of an action, process, or argument.

Word Breakdown: -ate (suffix meaning ‘to cause or bring about’)

Word family: generation (n.), generative (adj.)

Example: The controversial policy was expected to generate considerable debate among community members.

Synonyms: produce, create, yield

Collocations: generate debate, generate ideas, generate support

To hypothesise means to put forward a tentative explanation or theory, which may then be tested through further evidence or inquiry.

Word Breakdown: -ise (suffix meaning ‘to make or cause to become’)

Word family: hypothesis (n.), hypothetical (adj.)

Example: The researchers hypothesised that increased screen time was linked to reduced attention spans in young people.

Synonyms: theorise, speculate, propose

Collocations: hypothesise that, hypothesise about, hypothesise a connection

Inherent describes a quality or characteristic that is a permanent and essential part of someone or something, existing within it rather than being added from outside.

Word Breakdown: in- (prefix meaning ‘within’ or ‘as part of’)

Word family: inherently (adv.), inherence (n.)

Example: The researchers argued that inequality is inherent in economic systems that prioritise profit over welfare.

Synonyms: intrinsic, built-in, fundamental

Collocations: inherent in, inherent risk, inherent tension

To justify means to give reasons or evidence to show that an action, decision, or belief is correct, fair, or reasonable.

Word Breakdown: -ify (suffix meaning ‘to make or cause to become’)

Word family: justification (n.), justifiable (adj.)

Example: The government struggled to justify the new surveillance laws in the face of strong public opposition.

Synonyms: defend, rationalise, vindicate

Collocations: justify a decision, justify the use of, hard to justify

To maintain means to keep something in its current condition, to continue an action over time, or to assert that something is true despite disagreement.

Word family: maintenance (n.), maintained (adj.)

Example: The author maintains that systemic inequality cannot be addressed without significant political reform.

Synonyms: uphold, sustain, assert

Collocations: maintain a position, maintain control, maintain that

‘This suggests’ is used in academic writing to introduce an inference or interpretation drawn from evidence — it signals that what follows is a conclusion the writer draws, not a fact stated directly in the source.

Example: The voting data showed declining youth participation; this suggests that young people are increasingly disengaged from formal politics.

Synonyms: this indicates, this implies, this points to

Collocations: this suggests that, this perhaps suggests, this therefore suggests