1
as in insurgent
taking part in a rebellion
the rebellious troops fought a pitched battle with divisions still loyal to the government
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rebel
given to resisting authority or another's control
expected her son to grow a little more rebellious as he got older, but she knew he understood when to kick and when to obey
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Recent Examples of rebellious
Phillips played rebellious older sister Julie, while Bertinelli starred as younger sister Barbara Cooper.
—
Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Steve Guttenberg To many, Steve Guttenberg will always be known as Police Academy’s Carey Mahoney, a rebellious but likable small-time crook who gets nudged into joining the force.
—Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 30 May 2026
Your 8th House of Shared Resources shifts as the moody Moon moves there, opposing rebellious Uranus in your 2nd House of Resources.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 30 May 2026
The print feels preppy, aspirational, and rebellious all at once.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebellious
Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Steve Guttenberg To many, Steve Guttenberg will always be known as Police Academy’s Carey Mahoney, a rebellious but likable small-time crook who gets nudged into joining the force.
—Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 30 May 2026
Your 8th House of Shared Resources shifts as the moody Moon moves there, opposing rebellious Uranus in your 2nd House of Resources.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 30 May 2026
The print feels preppy, aspirational, and rebellious all at once.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebellious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellious
Adjective
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Myanmar is worried about resistance to military rule, India is concerned with insurgent groups in its northeast.—
Michael Sullivan,
NPR,
30 May 2026
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Spencer Pratt, once the villain of the 2000s MTV reality show The Hills and now an insurgent candidate in this year’s Los Angeles mayoral race, had a breakthrough moment in his first debate performance last Wednesday.—
Miles Klee,
Wired News,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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But beyond this picturesque scene, there is a volatile combination of brutal rebel violence and a burgeoning Ebola outbreak.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 June 2026
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Attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias also have hindered the response.—
Mark Banchereau,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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And at the very center of Hell is Satan himself, the traitorous Archangel Lucifer, depicted as a monstrous creature with wings and three heads.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
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Russell fabricates a lie with the rest of the villains, and the heroes believe it, despite a warning from one traitorous tribemate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
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
Adjective
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Although oral-history books focused on pop culture are fairly common today, the format was revolutionary in 1996, when the first edition of Please Kill Me was published.—
Juliet Izon,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
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Beneath an old wood ceiling is a fireplace and, just beyond, a replica of the lantern that guided Paul Revere when alerting the revolutionary militia that the British were arriving.—
Jayson Buford,
Robb Report,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Researchers have been looking into ways to reduce the stubborn inflammation HIV causes in the central nervous system.—
Smita S. Iyer,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
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The findings, published in 2025 in Brain Stimulation, point to a fundamentally new way of treating one of the most stubborn psychiatric conditions, using a miniaturized implant that delivers brief bursts of stimulation only during key moments of exposure therapy.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rebellious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellious. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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