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
Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The rebel run is the biggest of them all.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
North was convicted in 1989 on three felony charges for helping to arrange the illicit sale of weapons to Iran and divert the proceeds to fund a secret war against anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
An essay in The Dartmouth Review argues that the toga parties (based very much on truth) represented students from Miller's generation rebelling against conformity.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Adjective
Offering a complete range of tailored clothing, leather jackets, footwear, and accessories, JV denotes the taste of high fashion with a rebel aesthetic.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The rebel run is the biggest of them all.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
North was convicted in 1989 on three felony charges for helping to arrange the illicit sale of weapons to Iran and divert the proceeds to fund a secret war against anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Qi is more interested in how Chuan’s motherhood is affected — and what happens when Hsiao-Lee is confident enough to rebel against her mom.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
An essay in The Dartmouth Review argues that the toga parties (based very much on truth) represented students from Miller's generation rebelling against conformity.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 1 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 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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