INCOMPLIANT Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

incompliant

adjective

ˌin-kəm-ˈplī-ənt

Definition of incompliant

as in rebellious

given to resisting authority or another's control a perpetually incompliant employee who seemed to think that the rules did not apply to him

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of incompliant Financial regulators often use such orders to compel reforms at undercapitalized or incompliant banks. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2020

Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompliant

Adjective

Twenty-nine years have passed since then, yet the memory of the princess—an empathetic woman who defied convention, vulnerable yet rebellious, and imbued with a profound humanity—remains vivid and very much alive in the eyes of the entire world.

— Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026
Next month, broader audiences will discover Halkias’s rebellious brand of humor with Uncle Stav, his latest Netflix standup special, a follow-up to 2023’s Fat Rascal.

— Jonathan Borge, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of rebellious

Adjective

The Ebola outbreak is spreading across six provinces in eastern Congo in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable, fueled by rebel violence, displacement and intense population movements.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Its interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former al-Qa’eda militant who led the rebel offensive that overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, has been struggling to rebuild a nation devastated by almost 14 years of civil war.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of rebel

Adjective

The attack on Sais, a Sacramento City Hall employee and liaison to City Councilmember Eric Guerra, colored an otherwise joyous and defiant Rainbow Festival this weekend in the midtown neighborhood.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Swinney has remained defiant that his style will work out in the end.

— Chris Vannini, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of defiant

Adjective

Designed for limp, oily, and dull hair, the color-safe formula washes away stubborn dirt and grime—common culprits of flat waves—while a lineup of amino acids work to soften and strengthen strands.

— Madison San Miguel, Allure, 5 Sep. 2026
This skirt creates a temporary seal to help focus airflow on extra-stubborn dirt.

— Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of stubborn

Adjective

Brian is a gee-whiz irritant, with a reckless attachment to the family’s conveniently recalcitrant dog and a knack for making dangerous situations worse.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Part of the problem is that, outside of their tenants’ pleas, landlords face neither any real pressure nor any legal requirement to install shutters and ceiling fans; even owners who want to do so are thwarted by recalcitrant co-op boards or finicky historic-preservation reviews.

— Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026

Definition of recalcitrant

Adjective

Each year, half the NFL cycles through offensive coordinators, and though there are contrary examples, continuity matters.

— Zak Keefer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Creating space for contrary evidence before authority anchors the room can widen what the group considers.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026