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
Sebastian Jimenez, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Attacks in the region by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the militant organization Islamic State, and a coalition of ethnic militias have also hindered the response.
—Justin Kabumba, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Thomas Hobbes took a very dim view of rebels and insurrectionists.
—Austin Sarat, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Jane rebelled against Marge’s efforts to manage her choices, especially on whom to date.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Adjective
Although the country saw a break in violence between rebel groups and the government in the 10 years since the historic agreement between guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the government, criminal gang activity is rising.
—Sebastian Jimenez, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Attacks in the region by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the militant organization Islamic State, and a coalition of ethnic militias have also hindered the response.
—Justin Kabumba, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Noun
The Halliwells position themselves as rebels disrupting the beauty industry with innovative, microbiome-friendly products, catering to a growing consumer demand for natural and effective solutions.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Thomas Hobbes took a very dim view of rebels and insurrectionists.
—Austin Sarat, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Verb
Jumping, rebelling, expelling, reacting, acting.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Jane rebelled against Marge’s efforts to manage her choices, especially on whom to date.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebel
Adjective
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In others, the rebellious teenager drinks elsewhere.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
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For a distillery known as much for its rebellious personality as its whisky, bringing back a bottle called Yellow Submarine feels pretty on-brand.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
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In recent weeks, the race for Los Angeles mayor has been dominated by reality star Spencer Pratt, who, following an expectation-exceeding debate performance, has risen in the polls with an insurgent campaign specializing in producing or promoting brash and direct online videos.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
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Traders on prediction market platform Kalshi think the incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and insurgent former reality TV star Spencer Pratt are most likely to advance to the second round.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The players revolted, boycotting training over Anelka’s treatment.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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Congress, having discovered some spine, should revolt at this blatant self-dealing as well.—
Austin Elias-de Jesus,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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The great-grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic struck a defiant tone in an interview with CNN on Thursday, saying Iran shouldn’t compromise on its demands to end the war.—
Frederik Pleitgen,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
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The candidate, wearing Nikes and a suit but no tie — not too buttoned up — struck a defiant tone.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Not helping was Parliament’s passage of the Tea Act in 1773, to which revolutionaries responded by dumping tea into Boston Harbor.—
Laurie Kellman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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Not helping was Parliament's passage of the Tea Act in 1773, to which revolutionaries responded by dumping tea into Boston Harbor.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Starmer’s premiership is on a knife-edge this week as a significant number of Labour Party MPs have openly mutinied, calling for the PM to resign immediately, or to set out a timetable for his departure.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Rebel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebel. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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