Synonyms of rebellion

rebellion

noun

ri-ˈbel-yən 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• revolt
• insurrection
• uprising
• mutiny
• insurgency
• revolution
• insurgence
• outbreak
• coup
• overthrow
• rising
• treachery
• sedition
• treason
• coup d'état
• subversion
• sabotage
• misprision

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• counterinsurgency
• counterrevolution

2

as in defiance

refusal to obey

the period of rebellion that teenagers typically go through

Synonyms & Similar Words

• defiance
• rebelliousness
• disobedience
• willfulness
• disrespect
• insubordination
• waywardness
• unruliness
• contrariness
• contumacy
• recalcitrance
• rudeness
• intractability
• refractoriness
• frowardness
• balkiness
• civil disobedience
• obstreperousness
• stubbornness
• noncooperation
• insolence
• perversity
• obstinacy
• self-will
• impudence
• inconsiderateness
• tenacity
• peevishness
• impoliteness
• inconsideration
• obduracy
• pigheadedness
• pertinacity
• doggedness
• naughtiness
• impertinence
• mischievousness
• ungraciousness
• tenaciousness
• hardheadedness
• discourteousness
• knavery
• obdurateness
• mulishness
• obstinateness
• pertinaciousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obedience
• subordination
• submission
• compliance
• tractability
• subservience
• amiability
• submissiveness
• amenability
• subserviency
• agreeability
• slavishness
• tractableness
• subordinateness
• deference
• docility
• trainability
• dutifulness

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

Recent Examples of rebellion

The books follow Darrow of Lykos, a miner who suffers a great loss and is thrust into a rebellion’s revenge plot against the Golds. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Once a staple among cowboys and railroad workers, the Lee 101 became a symbol of youth rebellion in the 1950s, when James Dean popularized the jeans and helped solidify their association with biker culture. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

At this point, my rebellion had evolved to become more than just a quiet resistance. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026

In such trivial moments of rebellion, the seeds of resistance are sown. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026