insubordinate 1 of 2

adjective

ˌin(t)-sə-ˈbȯr-də-nət How to pronounce insubordinate (audio)
Definition of insubordinatenext
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control the junior officer was court-martialed for being insubordinate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

insubordinate

2 of 2

noun

as in rebel

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 insubordinate
Adjective
What is supposed to be a brief stay is extended when Pepper is deemed insubordinate by the cold and menacing staff. — Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026 New research shows Hinton’s premonitions about the insubordinate streak of AI may already be a reality. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026 No one’s arc is insubordinate; no one’s emotional logic is insignificant. — Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026 In a coastal town on the Gulf of Mexico lives the insubordinate Daniel, the owner of a small motel. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insubordinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubordinate
  1. rebellious
  2. rebel
  3. defiant
  4. insurgent
  5. challenger
  6. resister
  7. mutineer
  8. recusant
Adjective
  • With its choppy layers, tousled texture, and extra length at the nape, this wolf cut brought a rebellious twist to her usual regal aesthetic.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The selection also features Dutch director Sabine Lubbe Bakker’s Premier Souffle, exploring whether a rebellious outsider can find her place in the world after years of isolation from her community.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Noun
  • Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry rejected similar Sudanese accusations in a May 5 statement, calling them baseless, and accused Sudan of supporting rebels in its northern Tigray region.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In Colombia’s rural Guaviare region, poor ranchers eke out a living in obscurity, surrounded by armed rebels who traffic cocaine.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, negotiating with Uber and DoorDash takes time, money, and lawyers, and though those repercussions might show up eventually, and maybe even prove effective, e-bike cowboys are getting bolder, faster, and more defiant by the day.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026
  • As disturbing as the ordeal was, the 89-year-old remains defiant.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of defiant
Noun
  • The Republican reckoning tests a party infrastructure reshaped around the president since his insurgent rise in 2015 transformed the GOP.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Will the Democrats have to contend with left-wing insurgents like Republicans did the Tea Party?
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of insurgent
Noun
  • Democrat Wes Moore won reelection as Maryland's governor after defeating Republican challenger Dan Cox, CBS News projected Tuesday.
    — CBS Baltimore, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna defeated challenger and former Sheriff Alex Villanueva by a wide margin in his bid for reelection Tuesday, with the Associated Press calling the race Tuesday night for the incumbent.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of challenger
Noun
  • In November 1971, Berkeley, California, became the first sanctuary city in the country when 12 local churches inspired the City Council to pass a resolution offering sanctuary to draft resisters.
    — Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Clemson resister Dabo Swinney has driven his program into the ground.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of resister
Noun
  • Analysts say the clashes at the Base 101 at the Niamey international airport could have gone either way because of the mutineers’ determination and large numbers until the Russian troops stepped in.
    — Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The fate of the mutineers was not immediately clear and authorities did not disclose any charges against them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of mutineer
Noun
  • The uniform of the conformist — sports shirt, cardigan, tennis shoes — is as easily recognized as that of the recusant — dirty white T, sideburns, two days’ growth of beard.
    — Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, 15 July 2019
Definition of recusant

Browse Nearby Words

instruments
insubordinate
insubordinates
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insubordinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubordinate. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wabi-sabi

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All