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
Denise Petski, Deadline, 1 July 2025
The toxic combination led rebel Republican Sen. Thom Tillis to denounce it as a political disaster.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
Sam Dalrymple, Time, 14 July 2025
The defense chief survived a March scandal over his disclosure of sensitive military operational details of a strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen on an unsecure chat group on the Signal messaging app that included a reporter.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 9 July 2025
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 June 2025
Newsweek Contributors Debate For decades, Iranians have organized, protested, and rebelled for greater freedom.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Adjective
As Rob rises as the leader of a band of rebel outlaws, Marian infiltrates the power at court, as both work together to thwart royal corruption and bring peace to the land.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 1 July 2025
The toxic combination led rebel Republican Sen. Thom Tillis to denounce it as a political disaster.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
Noun
Advertisement Six years later, in 1971, Indian support for Bengali rebels in East Pakistan and its military intervention led to the creation of Eastern Pakistan as the independent nation of Bangladesh.
—Sam Dalrymple, Time, 14 July 2025
The defense chief survived a March scandal over his disclosure of sensitive military operational details of a strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen on an unsecure chat group on the Signal messaging app that included a reporter.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 9 July 2025
Verb
Wait, there’s a both-sides approach to the company and the workers rebelling against it?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 June 2025
Newsweek Contributors Debate For decades, Iranians have organized, protested, and rebelled for greater freedom.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebel
Adjective
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From director James DeMonaco, creator of The Purge franchise, actor-comedian Davidson plays Max in The Home, a rebellious twenty-something sentenced to community service at a quiet retirement home.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
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The story follows rebellious young demigod Ne Zha, who wrestles with his powers and the threat of humanity’s destruction.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Prod: María Isabel Páramo, Iván García) One of the biggest swings among BAM projects, set in 1996 Colombia, as the country succumbs to bloody insurgent warfare.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
15 July 2025
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Delegates followed that recommendation, rejecting a number of insurgent candidates.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Ironic from a country born out of revolting against taxation without representation.—
Jose Antonio Vargas,
Time,
4 July 2025
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Coming at an incredibly sensitive time and with some employees revolting over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the last thing the corporation’s bosses need is to be accused of platforming bands accused of terrorist sympathy.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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On Monday, asked about the poll proposal at an unrelated event, Adams was defiant.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
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Trump's defiant response in Butler, Penn., may have fueled his big Election Day gains among male voters.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Actors Juan Quispe and Edith Ramos topline a story that intertwines two periods, that following the 18th century revolutionary Ángel Pumacahua, defeated in battle, who flees to his village and, upon his arrival, finds himself in the Peruvian Andes of the 21st century.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
4 July 2025
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Curtis Everett in Snowpiercer (2014) Released just two years after the first Avengers, Bong Joon Ho's apocalyptic thriller Snowpiercer allowed Evans to show off his grittier side, playing a reluctant revolutionary named Curtis.—
Devan Coggan,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
Verb
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In 1913, Swiss Guards mutinied for a week in response but eventually received military training as Repond wanted, Alvarez wrote in The Pope's Soldiers: A Military History of the Modern Vatican.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
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In June 2023, the group mutinied and marched on Moscow before then leader Yevgeny Prigozhin negotiated a deal with the Kremlin.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
13 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Rebel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebel. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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