as in insurgents
a person who rises up against authority
the rebel would not submit peacefully, even after he was captured
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in revolts
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
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Recent Examples of rebels
Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Yet plantation records indicate that women helped supply food and clothing to rebels.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
More recently, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have targeted Saudi desalination facilities amid regional tensions.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Or is an internal group of rebels assembling in Iran?
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
While Machar is currently on trial for offenses including treason, fighting has intensified in areas seen as his strongholds, where government troops are trying to disperse the rebels.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Only a few of her captors speak French, so most of her days are spent nonverbally (and Depardon reinforces the isolation by not subtitling the rebels’ dialogue in their native language).
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2026
Despite denim enthusiasts often being drawn to traditionally masculine iconography—such as the Wild West, cowboys, and Hollywood rebels like Marlon Brando and James Dean—what truly defines the subculture is a deep appreciation for nostalgia, freedom, and self-expression.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 18 Feb. 2026
Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2026
As the professor navigates retirement, the baby grows into a rambunctious child who rebels against the traditions of her fishing community.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
The choice was hailed by the president of Azerbaijan and the leader of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, among other allies.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Yet plantation records indicate that women helped supply food and clothing to rebels.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
More recently, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have targeted Saudi desalination facilities amid regional tensions.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Or is an internal group of rebels assembling in Iran?
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
While Machar is currently on trial for offenses including treason, fighting has intensified in areas seen as his strongholds, where government troops are trying to disperse the rebels.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Only a few of her captors speak French, so most of her days are spent nonverbally (and Depardon reinforces the isolation by not subtitling the rebels’ dialogue in their native language).
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2026
Despite denim enthusiasts often being drawn to traditionally masculine iconography—such as the Wild West, cowboys, and Hollywood rebels like Marlon Brando and James Dean—what truly defines the subculture is a deep appreciation for nostalgia, freedom, and self-expression.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Set against the backdrop of the 1998 São Paulo World Cup between Brazil and France, Amarela follows 14-year-old Erika Oguihara (Melissa Uehara), a Japanese Brazilian sports fanatic who rebels against her family’s more Japanese cultural traditions.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2026
As the professor navigates retirement, the baby grows into a rambunctious child who rebels against the traditions of her fishing community.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebels
Noun
-
Paxton will counter that Texas runoffs often reward insurgents.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
After Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the new theocracy also battled Kurdish insurgents.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Almost fifty years ago, Iran’s revolutionaries introduced a militant brand of Shiite Islam as a viable medium of political opposition and governance.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Once back in power, Perón—and, after his death in 1974, his wife and successor, Isabelita—would demonize the revolutionaries as terrorists.—
Daniel R. Quiles,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rebels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebels. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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