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
Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Hopper and Antonov, meanwhile, have figured out that a Demogorgon lies in wait for them and a group of other rebel laborers.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
The horrifying reports of the massacre of hundreds of Sudanese civilians after the Darfur city of El Fasher was captured by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last week were the latest chapter in a brutal conflict that has killed more than 150,000 people over the past two and a half years.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025
But as happened with a controversial development planned for Cincinnati's Hyde Park neighborhood, residents rebelled – and forced a referendum to repeal the approval.
—Carl Weiser, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Nov. 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
In June 2023, the group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, long viewed as a close confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, staged a stunning rebel march toward Moscow in protest of Russian military leadership.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Hopper and Antonov, meanwhile, have figured out that a Demogorgon lies in wait for them and a group of other rebel laborers.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, over in Britain, a vibrant antiwar movement brought on motion after motion in Parliament to cease fire and end all offensive operations against the rebels.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
The horrifying reports of the massacre of hundreds of Sudanese civilians after the Darfur city of El Fasher was captured by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last week were the latest chapter in a brutal conflict that has killed more than 150,000 people over the past two and a half years.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
The replimoids rebelled against their creators and have been hanging around ever since.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025
But as happened with a controversial development planned for Cincinnati's Hyde Park neighborhood, residents rebelled – and forced a referendum to repeal the approval.
—Carl Weiser, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Nov. 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 16 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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