1
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
the rebellion would have failed if not for the aid sent by other countries
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2
as in defiance
refusal to obey
the period of rebellion that teenagers typically go through
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Recent Examples of rebellion
The rebellion reached its height in the early 2000s, a bloody rejoinder to the booming economy fueled by the rise of outsourcing in IT and software, and optimism about India’s future.
—
Dhruv Tikekar, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Rhaenyra is suddenly dealing with internal criticism, possible rebellions, subjects spray-painting nasty stuff on the walls and self-doubt.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 May 2026
In 1989, Morrison was a key contributor to NBC’s coverage of the student rebellion in Beijing and the resulting massacre in Tiananmen Square.
—Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Yet for critics of this militarized approach, the army has done less to tame rebellions than to terrorize the island’s peasant communities.
—Patrick Peralta, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebellion
Dhruv Tikekar, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Rhaenyra is suddenly dealing with internal criticism, possible rebellions, subjects spray-painting nasty stuff on the walls and self-doubt.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 May 2026
In 1989, Morrison was a key contributor to NBC’s coverage of the student rebellion in Beijing and the resulting massacre in Tiananmen Square.
—Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Yet for critics of this militarized approach, the army has done less to tame rebellions than to terrorize the island’s peasant communities.
—Patrick Peralta, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebellion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellion
Noun
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Many leaders would have resisted such a revolt.—
Bill Fischer,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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There were more than 50 days of popular revolt, which were met with considerable police violence, resulting in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.—
Roberto Andrés,
The Dial,
28 May 2026
Noun
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For this poet, the first place of childhood and language is his village in the South, a place that has continued to exist in defiance of some of the most brutal forces of occupation, aggression, and now unabashed annihilation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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In a 230-191 vote, the House approved the bill in defiance of House GOP leadership.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
9 June 2026
Noun
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On the first day of his second term, Trump granted blanket clemency to nearly all individuals convicted of or charged with offenses related to the insurrection.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
3 June 2026
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Prosecutors also revealed private messages to from Tarrio to senior leaders of the Proud Boys taking credit for the insurrection.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
24 May 2026
Noun
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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
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of NCRI-US, told Fox News Digital that the organization first became focused on stadium surveillance while tracking how Iranian authorities identified protesters during recent uprisings.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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For nearly eight years, the Ukrainian army—with the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion at the vanguard—tried to bludgeon the uprising into submission.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
9 June 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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The seeds of mutiny are detectable.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
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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
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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
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There is zero tolerance for political disobedience.—
Daniel Drake,
The New York Review of Books,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rebellion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellion. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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