as in rebellion
refusal to obey
was fired for chronic insubordination
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Recent Examples of insubordination
He was terminated over allegations of abuse of power, insubordination, abuse of leave policies, and failure to report damage to a department vehicle.
—
Brian Maass, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Green Thumb asserted Contreras was terminated for insubordination and other reasons.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Dec. 2025
Their prophet, the woman who brought Shakerism from Manchester, England all the way to the American colonies in 1774, played by Amanda Seyfried, learns of the insubordination.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
Hallucinogenic sequences in which Kiri walks the alien version of Garden of Gethsemane lead into an entire subplot with the tulkun that culminates in a mini courtroom drama with our boy Payakan on trial for insubordination.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
This investigation was called for by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who accused Kelly and five other Democrats in the video of encouraging insubordination.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
During removal hearings in August, Corpus cited Monaghan’s insubordination as the reason for his termination.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
Grier hired Brian Flores, whom the organization fired after three seasons because of his alleged insubordination, and difficulty working with people, and then hired McDaniel after the franchise shot their shot and missed on Sean Payton.
—Omar Kelly
october 31, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
One agent was disciplined for insubordination after refusing to go along with the plan to embarrass Comey in this way.
—The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
Brian Maass, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Green Thumb asserted Contreras was terminated for insubordination and other reasons.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Dec. 2025
Their prophet, the woman who brought Shakerism from Manchester, England all the way to the American colonies in 1774, played by Amanda Seyfried, learns of the insubordination.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
Hallucinogenic sequences in which Kiri walks the alien version of Garden of Gethsemane lead into an entire subplot with the tulkun that culminates in a mini courtroom drama with our boy Payakan on trial for insubordination.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
This investigation was called for by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who accused Kelly and five other Democrats in the video of encouraging insubordination.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
During removal hearings in August, Corpus cited Monaghan’s insubordination as the reason for his termination.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
Grier hired Brian Flores, whom the organization fired after three seasons because of his alleged insubordination, and difficulty working with people, and then hired McDaniel after the franchise shot their shot and missed on Sean Payton.
—Omar Kelly
october 31, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
One agent was disciplined for insubordination after refusing to go along with the plan to embarrass Comey in this way.
—The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubordination
Noun
-
We were labeled as ‘frat rock’ by more than one magazine, but that in itself was almost a rebellion against the homogenization of what was then grunge.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Punk has always been about rebellion and rejecting the status quo.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The lower-polling Democrats reacted with defiance; all but one filed paperwork to officially declare their candidacy.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
-
There would be no defiance of the odds by the Ducks on Sunday, when their third period came and went without a goal, just as the first two had.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
More to the point, the government's understaffing and high caseload is a problem of its own making and absolutely does not justify flagrant disobedience of court orders.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
As litigation commenced and DHS officials were called to testify, judges became frustrated at the rampant false testimony and disobedience of the government.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In March, someone could undermine your plans accidentally or out of envy or disrespect.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Those dousings also prompted outrage from police leaders — who decried it as an inexcusable sign of disrespect, and even suggested that officers willing to walk away from that kind of horseplay should consider another line of work.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insubordination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubordination. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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