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
ABC News, 18 May 2025
Incidents of violence by rebel groups fell from 1,936 in 2010 to 374 in 2024, according to data from the home ministry.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 15 May 2025
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
In response, the commanders decide to meet in Washington D.C., and Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) finally chooses a side once and for all and gives up their plan to June (Elisabeth Moss) and the fellow rebels.
—EW.com, 20 May 2025
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Related article Mavericks fans rebelled after Luka Dončić was traded.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 14 May 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
President Trump met with former rebel leader turned new president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
—ABC News, 18 May 2025
Incidents of violence by rebel groups fell from 1,936 in 2010 to 374 in 2024, according to data from the home ministry.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 15 May 2025
Noun
Set in a crumbling Japanese metropolis rebuilt after a devastating explosion, Akira follows teenage rebels Kaneda and Tetsuo as secret government experiments unleash psychic forces capable of unmaking the world.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
In response, the commanders decide to meet in Washington D.C., and Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) finally chooses a side once and for all and gives up their plan to June (Elisabeth Moss) and the fellow rebels.
—EW.com, 20 May 2025
Verb
Its stories about an amateur tennis pro from a low-to-middle class family and his relationship with an artist looking to rebel against her family’s upper-class attitudes took advantage of their youthful vision to tell more stories about their parents’ lack of ambition.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Related article Mavericks fans rebelled after Luka Dončić was traded.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 14 May 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 28 May. 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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