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
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
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
The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubordination
Noun
-
Readers meet Anne, who walks out of Eden not out of rebellion but love.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Netanyahu, meanwhile, faces rebellion from right-wing ministers who want to block a path to Palestinian statehood and annex the West Bank.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Smoking that cigarette is his last attempt at defiance.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
-
But with a ceasefire in place, Hamas quickly moved to quash defiance, aiming to cement the authority denied to them in the nascent agreement.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 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
-
Either of these original conditions would compel us to curb our aspirations to self-making, self-saving, and self-liberation as harmful forms of willfulness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
-
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 Israel-Hamas war rattled campuses and spurred disrespect and intolerant behavior on all sides.—
James Druckman,
Mercury News,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The problem isn’t that my girlfriend wouldn’t get to go, but the disrespect and dishonesty of uninviting her out of the blue and trying to cover it up as being a genuine mistake.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insubordination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubordination. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share