rebellion

Definition of rebellionnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun rebellion differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rebellion are insurrection, mutiny, revolt, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

Where would mutiny be a reasonable alternative to rebellion?

The words mutiny and rebellion can be used in similar contexts, but mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

How do revolt and insurrection relate to one another, in the sense of rebellion?

Both revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

When might revolution be a better fit than rebellion?

The words revolution and rebellion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

In what contexts can uprising take the place of rebellion?

While in some cases nearly identical to rebellion, uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

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 rebellion At the height of the rebellion, Bacon suddenly became ill and died on October 26, 1676, probably from dysentery. Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 June 2026 Without their political outrage and participation in the rebellion, American independence would have failed. Robert Parkinson, The Conversation, 24 June 2026 While rumblings of discontent had long swirled around Starmer’s leadership within Labour following a string of missteps, unpopular policy decisions and costly U-turns, the local elections in early May crystallized the rebellion. Joe Mayes, Fortune, 22 June 2026 The announcement follows mounting pressure on the prime minister after Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections in May and faced an increasingly vocal rebellion from his own lawmakers over his leadership and policy agenda. Hugh Leask, CNBC, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rebellion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellion
Noun
  • Proposition 13 galvanized a nationwide tax revolt and enshrined the modern system of property taxes.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
  • The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • But the results also suggested that in an earlier era, dark energy could have grown stronger, in seeming defiance of the law of energy conservation.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 22 June 2026
  • Instead, Defendants appear to be actively undermining the restoration of the Kennedy Center’s name, in a petty act of defiance.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led the insurrection after weeks of widespread national protests.
    USA Today, USA Today, 17 June 2026
  • Penn, known for his strong political convictions, previously attended a public hearing of the House select committee investigating the deadly 2021 insurrection.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Marji’s rebelliousness, both admirable and terrifying for those who love her, is her salient characteristic.
    Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
  • The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • There’s a sketch centered on one of David’s characters not being invited to the Boston Tea Party, as if the rebellious uprising was just another dinner party.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 June 2026
  • More recent scholarship has emphasized the complexity of the uprising.
    Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.
    David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • The seeds of mutiny are detectable.
    Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
  • Within six months, Richards’ side of the group staged a mutiny, locked Diekmann in his apartment, and forced him to relinquish control.
    JP Mangalindan, Time, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • The Catholic Church teaches that all other people are conceived with original sin as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden.
    Bridget Retzloff, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
  • There is zero tolerance for political disobedience.
    Daniel Drake, The New York Review of Books, 16 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rebellion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellion. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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