1
as in insurgent
taking part in a rebellion
the rebellious troops fought a pitched battle with divisions still loyal to the government
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rebel
given to resisting authority or another's control
expected her son to grow a little more rebellious as he got older, but she knew he understood when to kick and when to obey
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Recent Examples of rebellious
More recently, however, Ocasio-Cortez has shown signs of abandoning at least some of the rebellious positions that defined her earliest years in office.
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Hanna Trudo, The Hill, 22 Dec. 2024
Americans are a rebellious bunch, so trying to stop a political figure by nearly killing him provokes the opposite reaction.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
As the Sundance Film Festival weighs the possibility of leaving Utah, its rebellious younger sibling has already packed its bags.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024
This scent feels classic with a modern, rebellious twist.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rebellious 
Hanna Trudo, The Hill, 22 Dec. 2024
Americans are a rebellious bunch, so trying to stop a political figure by nearly killing him provokes the opposite reaction.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
As the Sundance Film Festival weighs the possibility of leaving Utah, its rebellious younger sibling has already packed its bags.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024
This scent feels classic with a modern, rebellious twist.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rebellious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellious
Adjective
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Since insurgent interactions with al Qaeda are almost certain to be clandestine, at least at first, detecting violations of the deal will be a test of U.S. intelligence gathering.David Petraeus, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2020
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Of course an insurgent political group can’t go shouting in the streets, and your friends and neighbors had better stay quiet, too.Meredith Haggerty, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Adjective
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In September, Israel launched another strike on Hodeida, killing at least four people after a rebel missile targeted Ben Gurion Airport as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was returning to the country.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
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The rebel groups that joined HTS to topple the regime made for a complex network of fighters, at times backed by foreign nations who were focused on battling different enemies.Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Guinevere, usually relegated to the thankless role of traitorous wife, acts here as Arthur’s beloved confidante.Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
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And somewhere between them on the war/peace continuum sit the men on Rhaenyra’s borderline traitorous council.Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 30 June 2024
Adjective
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The finale was pure Beyoncé: bold, defiant, unforgettable.Shelby Stewart, Essence, 26 Dec. 2024
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It’s described as a defiant, fiery, blue-toned matte red lipstick.Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The astrolabe was a revolutionary tool for calculating celestial positions and local time.The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Dec. 2024
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In a country with a conservative Muslim society, the students have leaned into the language of left-wing revolutionary politics.Saif Hasnat Atul Loke, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Fed’s preferred inflation measure — the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — is due Friday and could similarly show stubborn price pressures.Bryan Mena, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024
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However, Kamil Kovar, senior economist at Moody’s Analytics, argued in a note that stubborn core inflation would continue to spur ECB caution next year.Jenni Reid, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near rebellious
Cite this Entry
“Rebellious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellious. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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