as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
today's rebel chefs feel free to ignore the dictates of classic French cuisine
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in insurgent
a person who rises up against authority
the rebel would not submit peacefully, even after he was captured
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to revolt
to rise up against established authority
the colonists rebelled in the wake of an onslaught of abuses
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rebel
Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Asaria said rebel alliance isn’t a term he’s used, but that there is an ecosystem of smaller AI companies that keep in touch and regularly cross paths at conferences and other events.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Marcos briefly suspended habeas corpus and blamed his sclerotic economy on the agitations of leftist rebels, students, journalists, and preachers.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The fun retro glasses seemed to rebel against gear that was getting as buttoned-up as the world, which has felt a bit heavier and more serious in the last five to ten years.
—Lily Ritter, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Adjective
Russia, which in recent years has been focused on the fighting in Ukraine and kept only a small military contingent in Syria, didn’t try to counter the rebel offensive.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Asaria said rebel alliance isn’t a term he’s used, but that there is an ecosystem of smaller AI companies that keep in touch and regularly cross paths at conferences and other events.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Post-vote, Nancy Pelosi, the fearsome House speaker emerita, privately took the rebels to the woodshed, according to CNN.
—Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Marcos briefly suspended habeas corpus and blamed his sclerotic economy on the agitations of leftist rebels, students, journalists, and preachers.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
Certainly heroic for repeatedly rebelling against a murderous regime armed to the teeth.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The fun retro glasses seemed to rebel against gear that was getting as buttoned-up as the world, which has felt a bit heavier and more serious in the last five to ten years.
—Lily Ritter, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebel
Adjective
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The brand cultivates a fun, rebellious, and inclusive culture.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
9 Feb. 2026
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Your 11th House of Friendship hosts Venus, who squares rebellious Uranus in your 2nd House of Resources, pushing group plans against changing costs.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the northeast, insurgent groups exploit institutional weaknesses and economic vulnerability.—
Yusuf Tuggar,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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Bass, politically bruised over her handling of last year’s devastating Palisades fire, now faces an insurgent campaign from one of the City Council’s savviest players.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But many cities, some of which could have local sales tax hit more than 11%, are revolting on the plan.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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But fans revolted when this reboot hinged on a Piggy/Kermit break-up.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In those early days, Zelensky’s uncanny capacity for survival and humor encapsulated the defiant mood of the country.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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As the last survivor of the Block 42 resisters, Tanimoto has kept awareness of that complicated, defiant chapter of Japanese American history alive by sharing his story, including at a Day of Remembrance event taking place at noon Saturday at the Sutter County Museum in Yuba City.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Wonder women in American history Who were most transformative female organizers, creators, activists, innovators, revolutionaries and trailblazers in American history?—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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With that mental reframing, the American (and then French and other) revolutionaries changed not just their own country, but the world.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Treated by many Americans as a traitor who had mutinied, Mr. Thompson was threatened with prosecution by lawmakers before being recognized decades later as a hero.—
Anna Mulrine Grobe,
Christian Science Monitor,
6 Dec. 2025
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The 16th-century adventurer, who first circumnavigated the globe by sea in 1522, wavers beneath the pressure of his pursuit, ultimately leading his men to mutiny and madness on the Malay Archipelago.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
18 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rebel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebel. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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