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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in insurgent
a person who rises up against authority
the rebel would not submit peacefully, even after he was captured
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to revolt
to rise up against established authority
the colonists rebelled in the wake of an onslaught of abuses
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 rebel
Rael Ombuor, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2026
This is, of course, exactly the logic that drove the CIA’s support for the Mujahideen Mujahedeen in Afghanistan and the arming of Syrian rebel factions – both of which produced consequences their architects failed to foresee.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
The Americans had total dominance over Iraqi airspace but stood back as Saddam unleashed helicopter gunships on the rebels.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
Masahiro Motoki — the Oscar-winning star of Departures — plays a lord who rebels against warlord Oda Nobunaga and barricades himself inside Arioka Castle, only to face a string of unsolved murders within its walls.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Adjective
Two others were also killed, according to rebel group M23.
—Rael Ombuor, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2026
This is, of course, exactly the logic that drove the CIA’s support for the Mujahideen Mujahedeen in Afghanistan and the arming of Syrian rebel factions – both of which produced consequences their architects failed to foresee.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
The series emphasizes hope and the power of collective action, providing a nuanced look at both the rebels and the individuals within the Empire, ultimately highlighting the enduring relevance of its themes of oppression and resistance in today’s world.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
The Americans had total dominance over Iraqi airspace but stood back as Saddam unleashed helicopter gunships on the rebels.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
The House voted to pass a short-term funding patch for the Department of Homeland Security late Friday night, rebelling against a plan from Senate Republicans that omitted funding for immigration enforcement agencies.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
Masahiro Motoki — the Oscar-winning star of Departures — plays a lord who rebels against warlord Oda Nobunaga and barricades himself inside Arioka Castle, only to face a string of unsolved murders within its walls.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebel
Adjective
-
The temperamental Moon activates your 3rd House of Communication, forming a supportive trine to rebellious Uranus in your 7th House of Companions.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The series picks up 15 years after the finale of The Handmaid's Tale, and follows Agnes and Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a rebellious newcomer.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But Fuqua’s Hannibal is recognizably Black—an African insurgent taking on a European empire.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
That year, Ukraine elected a Western-leaning government, preceding Russia’s seizure of the Crimean Peninsula and arming of insurgent groups to occupy parts of the industrialised east of the country.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And the mayor is embroiled in a power struggle over leadership of the Chicago Housing Authority, where board members openly revolted against him by installing a CEO of their choosing, Keith Pettigrew, in a process Johnson says violated state law.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Thune and Johnson's joint statement came after the House GOP revolted on Friday and killed the Senate plan.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As a teenager, Bell flocked to people with a defiant edge.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Among the defiant political projects that marked Bernstein’s life was, of course, his sexuality.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Thanks to a new English book from Boston playwright Kirsten Greenidge, the action is transported from France to 1776-era Boston where Massachusetts revolutionary and patriot Deborah Sampson has disguised herself as a man to fight for independence.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
These works follow aging revolutionaries who have given up the fight after being forced into hiding or choosing to raise a family; some have simply grown tired of the struggle.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
