1
a
: opposing or taking arms against a government or ruler
b
: of or relating to rebels
the rebel camp
2
rebelled; rebelling
1
a
: to oppose or disobey one in authority or control
b
: to renounce and resist by force the authority of one's government
2
a
: to act in or show opposition or disobedience
rebelled against the conventions of polite society
b
: to feel or exhibit anger or revulsion
rebelled at the injustice of life
Examples of rebel in a Sentence
Adjective
today's rebel chefs feel free to ignore the dictates of classic French cuisine
Noun
The government captured six armed rebels.
He was a rebel against the school administration.
He is a typical teenage rebel.
Verb
When the government imposed more taxes, the people rebelled.
The protesters are rebelling against the new tax law.
Children often rebel against their parents.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The 64-year-old actor famously portrays rebel leader Morpheus, captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, in the hit sci-fi action film franchise.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Greg Norman , Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
The Romans were masters at using rewards and punishment to manage foreign states, from grants of citizenship to massacres of rebels.
—Barry Strauss, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Jonathan Garrett, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
In less than a decade, Cabral united more than a million Guineans in the struggle against Portuguese colonial rule, liberating three-quarters of the countryside of Guinea-Bissau and inspiring other African nations to rebel and claim their independence.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
An elderly man sits on the floor, dozens of bodies lying around him, before a Sudanese rebel fighter approaches and shoots him.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The 64-year-old actor famously portrays rebel leader Morpheus, captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, in the hit sci-fi action film franchise.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
Hegseth likened the Colombian rebel group to the al Qaeda terror group founded by Usama bin Laden in Afghanistan.
—Greg Norman , Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
The Romans were masters at using rewards and punishment to manage foreign states, from grants of citizenship to massacres of rebels.
—Barry Strauss, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Beastie Boys had turned the simple art of rebelling against authority figures—teachers, parents, anyone who seemed like a teacher or a parent—into a rallying cry.
—Jonathan Garrett, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
In less than a decade, Cabral united more than a million Guineans in the struggle against Portuguese colonial rule, liberating three-quarters of the countryside of Guinea-Bissau and inspiring other African nations to rebel and claim their independence.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Cite this Entry
“Rebel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebel. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rebel
1 of 3 adjective
reb·el
ˈreb-əl 
1
: being or fighting against one's government or ruler
2
: not obeying
rebel
2 of 3 noun
: a person who refuses to give in to authority
rebel
3 of 3 verb
re·bel
ri-ˈbel
rebelled; rebelling
1
: to be against or fight against authority and especially the authority of one's government
2
: to feel or show anger or strong dislike
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