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
Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
Caught between warring rebel fighters and the Sri Lankan army, the Tamil community in these regions bore the brunt of the violence.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025
Tim Lister, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
His rebels tried to storm the capital with 5,000 men but were eventually defeated.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 5 Dec. 2025
His Republican base rebelled, insisting the administration release the files.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 4 Dec. 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
The Death Star, the very target of Rogue One’s rebel plot, has been destroyed; the Empire — namely Darth Vader and his malevolent master, the Emperor — is on the hunt for rebels.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
Caught between warring rebel fighters and the Sri Lankan army, the Tamil community in these regions bore the brunt of the violence.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025
Noun
Al-Sharaa’s rebel forces entered the Syrian capital last December, forcing then President Bashar al-Assad to flee.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
His rebels tried to storm the capital with 5,000 men but were eventually defeated.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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
His Republican base rebelled, insisting the administration release the files.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 4 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 8 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
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