as in rebellion
refusal to obey
was fired for chronic insubordination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 insubordination
His insubordination is so appalling that Stella urges Pascal to remove him from Firehouse 51.
—
Claire Franken, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2025
The defendant had been criminally convicted in federal court of violating the Espionage Act by obstructing recruitment and enlistment, as well as causing and attempting to cause insubordination in the military.
—Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
The experience haunts Ortegas through the season, affecting her morale and pushing her even into outright insubordination.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
So no one gets married, but Brian does get a bunch of lashes for his insubordination.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Roger Alford, who was fired in July for alleged insubordination, claims that political appointees under Bondi's direction overruled career staff and settled a major tech merger—Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks—in a manner that undermined the rule of law.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Bondi fired him for insubordination.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
The deputy warden at the time stated the two actions were negligence of duty and insubordination.
—Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Two top officials in the agency’s antitrust division — Roger Alford, principal deputy assistant attorney general, and Bill Rinner, deputy assistant attorney general and head of merger enforcement — were recently fired for insubordination.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Claire Franken, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2025
The defendant had been criminally convicted in federal court of violating the Espionage Act by obstructing recruitment and enlistment, as well as causing and attempting to cause insubordination in the military.
—Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
The experience haunts Ortegas through the season, affecting her morale and pushing her even into outright insubordination.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
So no one gets married, but Brian does get a bunch of lashes for his insubordination.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Roger Alford, who was fired in July for alleged insubordination, claims that political appointees under Bondi's direction overruled career staff and settled a major tech merger—Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks—in a manner that undermined the rule of law.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Bondi fired him for insubordination.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
The deputy warden at the time stated the two actions were negligence of duty and insubordination.
—Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Two top officials in the agency’s antitrust division — Roger Alford, principal deputy assistant attorney general, and Bill Rinner, deputy assistant attorney general and head of merger enforcement — were recently fired for insubordination.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubordination
Noun
-
The state argued incidents that arose from the ICE facility protests in recent months have been handled by local law enforcement and have not been severe enough to be considered a riot or rebellion.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Her choice challenges the rules of her world and sparks a rebellion that paves the way for a new way of life.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Minnesota passed on Rodgers at the time, almost to signal a vote of defiance or confidence in McCarthy.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
In recent months, some council members have pushed, in open defiance, for outside groups to take another look, on the city’s behalf, at the economics of moving out of the Civic Center complex.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The performance goes from fiery to ineffectual as DiCaprio’s character, Bob, loses his youthful rebelliousness in a haze of pot and resignation.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The rebelliousness can be witnessed in everything from its ’70s-in-California style to the very naming conventions Mother chooses for its viral products — adored by A-listers like Gigi Hadid, Chrissy Teigen, Millie Bobby Brown, and more.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Footwear News,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Moja Rowa Colorful disobedience is how Moja Rowa cofounders Yelena Mojarova and Edward Benedikt Sittler characterize their creative spirit and brand ethos.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The ladies move closer to God through acts of disobedience, debauchery, and disgrace; by visiting seedy places and commingling with the disreputable.—
Nicole Flattery,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The Grammys treated the Stones with a similar level of stunning disrespect until awarding them Best Rock Album last year for Hackney Diamonds.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
-
No disrespect to the academy, but it sort of pales in comparison to this.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insubordination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubordination. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share