as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the disobedient child refused to eat his vegetables
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Recent Examples of disobedient
Kennedy Tolson is the sly queen of side-eye as the disobedient new housemaid Nancy.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
These first two episodes also give us the first appearance of Uma Thurman’s character, Charley, who seems to be recruiting serial killers and taking out disobedient ones in the Tri-State area.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 11 July 2025
An immaterial figure who lives where there is no light, his role is to kidnap children who are too noisy and disobedient to their parents' wishes.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 June 2025
In 2003, as the House considered an overhaul to Medicare, the party’s leadership issued threats against disobedient Republicans who saw the bill as a giveaway to pharmaceutical and insurance companies.
—James D’angelo, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2019
See All Example Sentences for disobedient
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
These first two episodes also give us the first appearance of Uma Thurman’s character, Charley, who seems to be recruiting serial killers and taking out disobedient ones in the Tri-State area.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 11 July 2025
An immaterial figure who lives where there is no light, his role is to kidnap children who are too noisy and disobedient to their parents' wishes.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 June 2025
In 2003, as the House considered an overhaul to Medicare, the party’s leadership issued threats against disobedient Republicans who saw the bill as a giveaway to pharmaceutical and insurance companies.
—James D’angelo, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2019
See All Example Sentences for disobedient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disobedient
Adjective
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The 8-episode first season charts the improbable ascent of Joe and Rose Kennedy and their nine children, including rebellious second son Jack, who struggles to escape the shadow of his golden boy older brother.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
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In a mountain resort, rebellious snowboarders uncover a nuclear conspiracy in a uranium mine.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In a message Monday on X, Sánchez said that so far there were no signs indicating that the plane was attacked by rebel groups that operate near Puerto Leguizamo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
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Petro, a leftist who was a member of a rebel group in his youth, has attempted to stage peace talks with Colombia’s remaining rebel groups under a strategy known as total peace.—
Manuel Rueda,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In mid-19th century Iran, painter Nowruz falls for a fearlessly defiant Roma fortune teller, sparking their desperate flight and a tragic saga echoing down generations, the synopsis runs.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
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Near the close of the No Kings rally in Lincolnwood on Saturday afternoon, the chants rang out from beneath the waving American flag with a defiant twist.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disobedient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disobedient. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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