insurgent 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of insurgentnext
as in revolutionary
taking part in a rebellion any insurgent soldiers will be dealt with harshly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

insurgent

2 of 2

noun

in-ˈsər-jənt How to pronounce insurgent (audio)
as in rebel
a person who rises up against authority the government subjected the insurgents to the most inhuman torture imaginable

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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 insurgent
Adjective
Spencer Pratt, once the villain of the 2000s MTV reality show The Hills and now an insurgent candidate in this year’s Los Angeles mayoral race, had a breakthrough moment in his first debate performance last Wednesday. — Miles Klee, Wired News, 15 May 2026 The Republican is seeking a sixth term of six years this fall in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive Senate races against insurgent 41-year-old oysterman and veteran Graham Platner, a Democrat. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026
Noun
Continue reading … DEM CIVIL WAR — Left-wing insurgents battle moderates Tuesday in races that could flip the House. — FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan — initially their most important partner — are tense, as Islamabad accuses Kabul of supporting Pakistani insurgents. — Reuters, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insurgent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insurgent
  1. revolutionary
  2. rebel
  3. rebellious
  4. traitorous
  5. insurrectionary
  6. treacherous
  7. mutinous
Adjective
  • That is the revolutionary mathematics of this first-of-its kind, dual-sport training ground.
    — Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Violeta Chamorro had defeated the Sandinistas at the ballot box, ending a decade of revolutionary rule and opening the door to democratic governance.
    — Lynn Northcutt Vega, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of revolutionary
Noun
  • The deal came as Washington increased pressure on neighboring Rwanda over its support for M23 rebels, a dynamic analysts say may help explain Congo’s willingness to cooperate.
    — Mark Banchereau, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The fun way to approach this premise would be to focus on the rebels.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • Its central character, Missie, a rebellious young woman who joins military intelligence, was inspired by Sue, who died in 2023 at age 99.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Follow rebellious 16-year-old Holden Caufield to New York City in Catcher in the Rye, in a tale that will evoke both humor and empathy from readers in equal measure.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • Telemachus’ lone contribution is killing Melanthius, the traitorous Ithacan farmhand, thus preventing him from continuing to arm the suitors.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • And at the very center of Hell is Satan himself, the traitorous Archangel Lucifer, depicted as a monstrous creature with wings and three heads.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Definition of traitorous
Adjective
  • The people who joined were not there at the behest of a political organization but were drawn, like pilgrims to hip pilgrimage sites, by the promise of an insurrectionary pleasure.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The Iranian regime was, if not on the ropes, then in very serious trouble as recently as January, when, amid a terrible economic situation with an eviscerated middle class, a large proportion of the population—disgruntled, unhappy, insurrectionary, revolutionary—came out to protest on the streets.
    — Daniel Drake, The New York Review of Books, 16 May 2026
Definition of insurrectionary
Adjective
  • And with most of the original cast now long gone, the latest sequel often feels as cursed as that treacherous netherworld.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The first season concludes with the revelation that Mizu’s ambitions of vengeance require her to travel to London — a treacherous journey by sea, as briefly shown in the second season trailer.
    — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of treacherous
Adjective
  • The 1990s were a period of instability across the country, including in Goma, which saw periods of widespread looting that started with mutinous security forces and during which soldiers terrorized the population.
    — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 July 2026
  • France at a World Cup tends to carry a certain kind of expectation, elegance under pressure, brilliance available on demand, and the constant possibility that everything will suddenly become either sublime or mutinous.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of mutinous

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Cite this Entry

“Insurgent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insurgent. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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