insurgent

1 of 2

noun

in·​sur·​gent in-ˈsər-jənt How to pronounce insurgent (audio)
1
: a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government
especially : a rebel not recognized as a belligerent
2
: one who acts contrary to the policies and decisions of one's own political party

insurgent

2 of 2

adjective

: rising in opposition to civil authority or established leadership : rebellious
insurgently adverb

Did you know?

Is insurgent a new word?

Insurgent is not a particularly novel coinage; it has been in use as both a noun and an adjective for well over 200 years. Appearances of the word began to spike in the early 21st century, however, due to a combination of factors (including the appearance of such combatants in conflicts and the desire among journalists to avoid words that might seem biased, such as terrorist or freedom fighter).

The definition of the noun, which includes the phrase “a rebel not recognized as a belligerent,” refers to a specific sense of belligerent: “belonging to or recognized as an organized military power protected by and subject to the laws of war.”

Examples of insurgent in a Sentence

Noun Insurgents are trying to gain control of the country's transportation system. the government subjected the insurgents to the most inhuman torture imaginable Adjective any insurgent soldiers will be dealt with harshly
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
So how did the banner raised by insurgents with a legacy of racist violence become our state flag? Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2024 He is widely credited with rescuing Peru from a painful period of hyperinflation and hunger, and oversaw the destruction of leftist insurgent groups that terrorized Peruvians with car bombs and brutal massacres for more than a decade. Mitra Taj, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Sep. 2024
Adjective
In the years since, the insurgent creator economy has tempted more journalists away to run upstart operations, and consumers have grown increasingly accustomed to paying piecemeal for access to individual writers. Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024 Among other things, the insurgent Red forces, led by Marine General Paul van Riper, used low-tech tactics including motorcycle couriers instead of cellphones to evade the Blue forces’ high-tech surveillance. Richard Forno, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for insurgent 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin insurgent-, insurgens, present participle of insurgere to rise up, from in- + surgere to rise — more at surge

First Known Use

Noun

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insurgent was in 1765

Dictionary Entries Near insurgent

Cite this Entry

“Insurgent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insurgent. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

insurgent

1 of 2 noun
in·​sur·​gent in-ˈsər-jənt How to pronounce insurgent (audio)
: a person who revolts : rebel

insurgent

2 of 2 adjective

Legal Definition

insurgent

1 of 2 noun
in·​sur·​gent in-ˈsər-jənt How to pronounce insurgent (audio)
1
: a person who rises in revolt against civil authority or an established government
especially : one not recognized as a belligerent
2
: one that acts contrary to the established leadership (as of a political party, union, or corporation) or its decisions and policies

insurgent

2 of 2 adjective
: rising in opposition to civil or political authority or against an established government

More from Merriam-Webster on insurgent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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