as in rebellion
refusal to obey
the toddler occasionally felt the need to demonstrate her independence with a foot-stamping obstreperousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstreperousness
Noun
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And last week, former interior minister Lee Sang-min was sentenced to seven years in prison for participating in a rebellion.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026 -
South Korea’s Justice Ministry bans Yoon from traveling overseas as police, prosecutors and an anti-corruption agency expand competing investigations into allegations of rebellion and other charges.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In contemporary terms, joy is a psychological and neurobiological act of defiance.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The American founding was, at its core, an act of defiance against unchecked power.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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However, walking out of class demonstrates disrespect to the teachers who care for their well-being and support these students on a daily basis.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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The stakes may differ, but the disrespect for local authority remains the same.—
Joshua Simmons,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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This transit stokes your sense of independence and even rebelliousness, inspiring you to strike out against convention and innovate more than ever.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Obstreperousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstreperousness. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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