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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rebels
Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Border tensions fueling Congo’s crisis President Félix Tshisekedi’s major challenge is the armed conflict in eastern Congo, where the largest city, Goma, has been controlled by rebels since January 2025.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The series emphasizes hope and the power of collective action, providing a nuanced look at both the rebels and the individuals within the Empire, ultimately highlighting the enduring relevance of its themes of oppression and resistance in today’s world.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
The Americans had total dominance over Iraqi airspace but stood back as Saddam unleashed helicopter gunships on the rebels.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
The roads are often caught up in the deadly clashes between Congolese security forces and rebels that sometimes block major access routes.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Vattel stressed the fact that in the eyes of European courts, providing aid to rebels was a violation of sovereignty and a dangerous precedent.
—Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
It was reserved only for slaves, criminals and political rebels.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
An Iranian missile struck a fuel-oil tanker in Qatari waters Wednesday morning, while Houthi rebels launched a third barrage of missiles toward Israel.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 1 Apr. 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
Eastern Congo has experienced some of its worst violence in years, with M23 rebels seizing large parts of North Kivu and advancing toward the regional capital, Goma, disrupting road links and border crossings.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Border tensions fueling Congo’s crisis President Félix Tshisekedi’s major challenge is the armed conflict in eastern Congo, where the largest city, Goma, has been controlled by rebels since January 2025.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The series emphasizes hope and the power of collective action, providing a nuanced look at both the rebels and the individuals within the Empire, ultimately highlighting the enduring relevance of its themes of oppression and resistance in today’s world.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
The Americans had total dominance over Iraqi airspace but stood back as Saddam unleashed helicopter gunships on the rebels.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
The roads are often caught up in the deadly clashes between Congolese security forces and rebels that sometimes block major access routes.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Vattel stressed the fact that in the eyes of European courts, providing aid to rebels was a violation of sovereignty and a dangerous precedent.
—Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
It was reserved only for slaves, criminals and political rebels.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
An Iranian missile struck a fuel-oil tanker in Qatari waters Wednesday morning, while Houthi rebels launched a third barrage of missiles toward Israel.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 1 Apr. 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
-
In 2024, insurgents led by now-interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham marched to Damascus and removed Assad from power.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
While serving a tour of duty outside the province of Kandahar in Afghanistan in August of 2011, he was ambushed by Taliban insurgents disguised in Afghan National Army uniforms.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These works follow aging revolutionaries who have given up the fight after being forced into hiding or choosing to raise a family; some have simply grown tired of the struggle.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The idea that one generation could not determine the political future of the next was precisely what many revolutionaries, despite their internal differences, had fought against.—
Roxane Razavi,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rebels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebels. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
