When writing IELTS essays, we often need to disagree with a given statement. Usually, we might use “Do Not Agree” to express opposition and present our own viewpoint. However, relying on “do not” for negation is more typical of entry or intermediate-level writing. If we aim to impress the examiner with richer vocabulary and more diverse expressions, it’s important to explore other words and phrases that effectively convey disagreement. Below, you’ll find 10 alternatives to express disagreement in a more sophisticated manner.
'Disagree' Alternatives: A Table View
| Synonym/Collocation | Examples |
|---|---|
| Oppose | 1. "Many environmentalists oppose the government's decision to allow logging in the area." (The Guardian) |
| 2. "Several politicians opposed the bill during the vote." (BBC News) | |
| 3. "Local residents oppose the construction of the new highway." (The New York Times) | |
| Differ from | 1. "Her views differ from those of her colleagues." (The Washington Post) |
| 2. "The results differed from the previous experiment." (Nature) | |
| 3. "He differed from his mentor on key policy issues." (The Economist) | |
| Reject | 1. "The committee rejected the proposal for a new tax." (The Financial Times) |
| 2. "The court rejected the appeal from the defendant." (BBC News) | |
| 3. "Several members of the board rejected the CEO’s strategy." (Forbes) | |
| Dissent from | 1. "The judge dissented from the majority opinion in the court’s ruling." (The New York Times) |
| 2. "A small faction within the party dissented from the leader’s policy." (The Guardian) | |
| 3. "He dissented from the group’s conclusion on climate change." (BBC News) | |
| Disapprove of | 1. "Many voters disapprove of the new immigration policies." (The Washington Post) |
| 2. "Some parents disapprove of the changes in the school curriculum." (The Guardian) | |
| 3. "The public disapproves of the government's handling of the crisis." (Reuters) | |
| Contest | 1. "The opposition party contested the results of the election." (The Economist) |
| 2. "Scientists contested the findings of the controversial study." (Nature) | |
| 3. "The company contested the lawsuit, claiming no wrongdoing." (The Financial Times) | |
| Take issue with | 1. "The CEO took issue with the criticism of his leadership style." (Forbes) |
| 2. "The senator took issue with the new environmental regulations." (BBC News) | |
| 3. "She took issue with the portrayal of the company in the media." (The Washington Post) | |
| Object to | 1. "Many people object to the increase in property taxes." (The New York Times) |
| 2. "The lawyers objected to the admission of the evidence in court." (BBC News) | |
| 3. "Conservationists object to the construction of the new dam." (The Guardian) | |
| Dispute | 1. "The workers dispute the company’s claim about wage increases." (The Financial Times) |
| 2. "Historians dispute the accuracy of the new documentary." (The Guardian) | |
| 3. "The report’s conclusions have been disputed by several researchers." (Nature) | |
| Contradict | 1. "The witness's testimony contradicted earlier statements given to the police." (The Washington Post) |
| 2. "The new data contradict previous research on climate change." (Nature) | |
| 3. "His statement contradicts the official report." (Reuters) |
