rebellion

noun

re·​bel·​lion ri-ˈbel-yən 

1

: opposition to one in authority or dominance

2

a

: open, armed, and usually unsuccessful defiance of or resistance to an established government

b

: an instance of such defiance or resistance

Did you know?

Plenty of teenagers rebel against their parents in all kinds of ways. But a rebellion usually involves a group. Armed rebellions are usually put down by a country's armed forces, or at least kept from expanding beyond a small area. The American War of Independence was first viewed by the British as a minor rebellion that would soon run its course, but this particular rebellion led to a full-fledged revolution--that is, the overthrow of a government. Rebellion, armed or otherwise, has often alerted those in power that those they control are very unhappy.

Synonyms of rebellion

• revolt
• insurrection
• uprising
• mutiny

Choose the Right Synonym for rebellion

rebellion, revolution, uprising, revolt, insurrection, mutiny mean an outbreak against authority.

rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders

an insurrection of oppressed laborers

mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

Examples of rebellion in a Sentence

The king's army suppressed the rebellion.

The unfair tax laws sparked a rebellion.

The peasants rose in rebellion.

She's the head of a rebellion against the leaders of the party.

Recent election losses have led to open rebellion among some party members, who are calling for a complete change of leadership.

Recent Examples on the Web

Teen-agers hung the page in their windows or on their walls, like today’s dorm-room posters of Che Guevara or Malcolm X or Tupac—less a sign of a specific political ideology than an impressionistic display of youthful rebellion. —Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026

That will not be achieved with our current focus on military strength and power as well as economic domination — only an uneasy peace, until toppled by resistance and rebellion, as all the great empires have been in the past. —Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Resistance, rebellion and retribution all come out to play in one of Disney+’s most consistent series that’s unafraid to put its larger-than-life characters into the maw of Venus fly trap-like set of moral and ethical issues. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026

In the era of AI, the notion of learning something for yourself is a quiet, internal act of rebellion against a world that seems to be flowing in the wrong direction. —Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rebellion

noun

re·​bel·​lion ri-ˈbel-yən 

1

: open opposition to authority

2

: open fighting against authority (as one's government)