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
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
The stone in question was discovered and hidden by Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a fisherman forced to work in the diamond fields after the rebel army of the Revolutionary United Front slaughtered or mutilated nearly everyone in his village.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 8 Dec. 2025
David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Dec. 2025
Those celebrations came a year after former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the capital as rebel forces swept through the country in a lightning offensive that ended five decades of Assad family rule and opened a new chapter in Syrian history.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025
Markus Wiechel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Steve Honig, founder of The Honig Company, said the relatability in rebelling against social norms has viewers hooked.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Here, the rebel planet has continued to disrupt old patterns around security, values, stability and relationships that have grown too predictable.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
The stone in question was discovered and hidden by Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a fisherman forced to work in the diamond fields after the rebel army of the Revolutionary United Front slaughtered or mutilated nearly everyone in his village.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 8 Dec. 2025
Noun
The rebel group’s advance threatens to derail President Donald Trump‘s peace deal signed by leaders of Rwanda and the Congo last week.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Dec. 2025
Those celebrations came a year after former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the capital as rebel forces swept through the country in a lightning offensive that ended five decades of Assad family rule and opened a new chapter in Syrian history.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025
Verb
Since the 1960s, the Cuban dictatorship has supplied weapons, training and safe hideouts to rebel groups causing chaos in Latin America.
—Markus Wiechel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Steve Honig, founder of The Honig Company, said the relatability in rebelling against social norms has viewers hooked.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 5 Dec. 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 17 Dec. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share