rebel

1 of 3

adjective

reb·​el ˈre-bəl 

1

a

: opposing or taking arms against a government or ruler

b

: of or relating to rebels

the rebel camp

2

: disobedient, rebellious

rebel

2 of 3

noun

: one who rebels or participates in a rebellion

rebel

3 of 3

verb

re·​bel ri-ˈbel 

rebelled; rebelling

intransitive verb

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

Synonyms of rebel

Adjective

• rebellious
• defiant

Noun

• insurgent
• revolutionary

Verb

• revolt
• mutiny

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

Adjective

Taylor, who led the rebel movement before becoming Liberia's president, was later convicted of aiding and abetting crimes committed by rebel forces in neighboring Sierra Leone. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026

The city, traditionally a key cultural center, is also home to around 1 million people and in 2014 became a hub of anti-Houthi resistance after the rebel group seized the capital Sanaa. — David Brennan, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Noun

Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, said Washington reached out to the rebels after their rapid advance down Yemen's western coast to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this month. — Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026

The State Department issued a caution warning to Americans in the Middle East on Saturday night after Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a ballistic missile at an airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2026

Verb

The data demonstrates that anxious workforces tend to overcompensate with high performance before quitting, rebelling or failing. — Stacey Zolt Hara, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

Starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, the movie portrays three working women who rebel against their sexist boss. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin rebellis, from re- + bellum war, from Old Latin duellum

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing rebel

• rebel yell

Rhymes for rebel

• jebel
• ndebele
• nebel
• pebble
• treble
• jezebel

Kids 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