rebel yell

noun

: a prolonged high-pitched yell often uttered by Confederate soldiers in the American Civil War

Examples of rebel yell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In the Alabama, Mississippi and Texas sections, delegates stood on their chairs and bellowed out rebel yells. Samuel G. Freedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 July 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rebel yell was in 1862

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Cite this Entry

“Rebel yell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebel%20yell. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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