as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the junior officer was court-martialed for being insubordinate
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rebel
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of insubordinate
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 19 July 2024
Outside commentators should not necessarily read a slow-moving Pentagon as insubordinate, or a frustrated White House as unreasonable.
—Julianne Smith, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2018
Intended as a more ironic and downbeat alternative to the then-burgeoning Bond franchise, this spy thriller (from the novel by Len Deighton) sees Caine as a dapper, lightly insubordinate, glasses-wearing British agent who uncovers clues to a conspiracy against the world’s scientists.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
All presidents should have the ability to terminate employees who are insubordinate.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for insubordinate 
Adjective
What’s more, a recent WFH Research study co-authored by workplace guru Nick Bloom found that frustrated managers are increasingly likely to take action against insubordinate remote workers.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 19 July 2024
Outside commentators should not necessarily read a slow-moving Pentagon as insubordinate, or a frustrated White House as unreasonable.
—Julianne Smith, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2018
Intended as a more ironic and downbeat alternative to the then-burgeoning Bond franchise, this spy thriller (from the novel by Len Deighton) sees Caine as a dapper, lightly insubordinate, glasses-wearing British agent who uncovers clues to a conspiracy against the world’s scientists.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
All presidents should have the ability to terminate employees who are insubordinate.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for insubordinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubordinate
Adjective
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Illiberal leaders select their cabinet members in the same way that emperors used to choose the governors of rebellious provinces: What matters most is the appointee’s loyalty and capacity to resist being suborned or co-opted by others.Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
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The news is a huge deal because rebellious Prince Fiyero is the ultimate catch for the students and Galinda.Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In The Rise of Skywalker, the rebels manage to amass an army and take the fight to the evil Emperor Palpatine, who threatened to take over the galaxy with the biggest military force ever seen.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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Their nations have also tried to coordinate on policies toward Syria, where rebels recently toppled Bashar al-Assad, the longtime dictator.Edward Wong, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Weakened, isolated but defiant: Hamas faces a crossroads with the cease-fire.Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
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But the political chaos provoked by the Dec. 3 martial law declaration is expected to continue, as Yoon and his ruling party supporters remain defiant against the insurrection charges.Se Eun Gong, NPR, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In Myanmar, where the government regards any aid entering conflict zones as support for insurgents, that can mean international groups operate almost clandestinely to get lifesaving provisions to the local groups that can distribute them.Karl Vick, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
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While the military did not disclose details about the individuals killed, Balochistan has long been a hotspot for insurgent activity.John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His first official act as president was to pardon Vietnam-era draft resisters, thereby helping bring that sorry chapter in American life to a close.Randall Balmer, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2025
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As one of his first acts upon taking office, President Carter pardoned all Vietnam War draft resisters.Vogue, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The mutineers requested political asylum but instead were imprisoned by the Cambodian government.Roberto Loiederman, Baltimore Sun, 11 Jan. 2025
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The games remain incomplete, and may in fact remain that way depending on what the Front Man decides to do with Gi-hun and all of the other mutineers.Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is a Sunni Islamist umbrella group of oppositionist forces with ideological and organizational roots in al-Qaeda.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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Within Russia, the oppositionists’ challenges are far greater.Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near insubordinate
Cite this Entry
“Insubordinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubordinate. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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