as in insurgents
a person who rises up against authority
the rebel would not submit peacefully, even after he was captured
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in revolts
to rise up against established authority
the colonists rebelled in the wake of an onslaught of abuses
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of rebels
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
Gangs, rebels, and soldiers started massacring elephants, sometimes from military helicopters.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Variety spoke with Hollywood producers, filmmakers, distributors and YouTube executives about this sea change and the young rebels taking Hollywood by storm.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 June 2026
To punish rebels for their treason, Parliament passed the Restraining Act of 1775, banning New Englanders from fishing on the Atlantic Ocean.
—Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
De la Espriella, who has never before held public office, also promises to sever peace talks with armed groups and unleash a full-on offensive against rebels.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
The Rosin Box Project, a collective of ballet rebels who dance en pointe to the beat of different choreographers, is inviting audiences to experience a before-and-after production this week.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
Valencia is considered the political protege of Colombia's former president and strongman Álvaro Uribe, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States and whose government beat back FARC rebels in an offensive that took a massive civilian toll.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
The rebels have reported two cases.
—CBS News, 31 May 2026
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
Cuba’s nationalization wave began soon after Fidel Castro’s rebels took control of the island in 1959.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
Gangs, rebels, and soldiers started massacring elephants, sometimes from military helicopters.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Variety spoke with Hollywood producers, filmmakers, distributors and YouTube executives about this sea change and the young rebels taking Hollywood by storm.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 June 2026
To punish rebels for their treason, Parliament passed the Restraining Act of 1775, banning New Englanders from fishing on the Atlantic Ocean.
—Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
De la Espriella, who has never before held public office, also promises to sever peace talks with armed groups and unleash a full-on offensive against rebels.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
The Rosin Box Project, a collective of ballet rebels who dance en pointe to the beat of different choreographers, is inviting audiences to experience a before-and-after production this week.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
Valencia is considered the political protege of Colombia's former president and strongman Álvaro Uribe, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States and whose government beat back FARC rebels in an offensive that took a massive civilian toll.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
The rebels have reported two cases.
—CBS News, 31 May 2026
Verb
Masahiro Motoki — the Oscar-winning star of Departures — plays a lord who rebels against warlord Oda Nobunaga and barricades himself inside Arioka Castle, only to face a string of unsolved murders within its walls.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
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
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The primary race has been described as a potential sleeper for progressive insurgents looking to build on the remarkable long-shot victory of Mayor Mamdani in last year’s race for City Hall.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2026
-
The insurgents have frequently targeted security forces, government installations and civilians in the province and elsewhere in the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Witnessing the revolutionaries’ painful efforts to implement the seemingly straightforward principles of their Declaration of Rights reminds us that the struggle for justice is never a simple one.—
Jeremy D. Popkin,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
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Perpetual identification with revolutionaries isn't great for the nation's political health.—
Evan Gottesman,
Washington Post,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rebels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebels. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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