rebellious

adjective

ri-ˈbel-yəs How to pronounce rebellious (audio)
Definition of rebelliousnext
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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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 rebellious Christiane Zehl Romero, her chief biographer, noted that the bullheaded Bertolt Brecht had benefitted from Seghers’s protective maneuvers, as did rebellious younger writers such as Heiner Müller and Christa Wolf. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The face of it is teenagers who are rebellious, bored by school (often for good reason), and beyond parent control. — Kalman Hettleman, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2026 There have been diaphanous silhouettes, sculptural bodices, and romantic flourishes courtesy of Rodarte, Patrick McDowell, and Vivienne Westwood, often tempered by the slightly rebellious beauty choices that have become something of her signature. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026 Its artists combined the rebellious spirit of punk with an openness that transformed music, fashion and popular culture. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rebellious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellious
  1. insurgent
  2. rebel
  3. traitorous
  4. defiant
  5. revolutionary
  6. stubborn
Adjective
  • Four years ago, during his insurgent first campaign, this editorial board had been wary of some of Mejia’s radical rhetoric.
    — The Editorial Board, Daily News, 10 June 2026
  • Myanmar is worried about resistance to military rule, India is concerned with insurgent groups in its northeast.
    — Michael Sullivan, NPR, 30 May 2026
Definition of insurgent
Adjective
  • Capturing towns and roads would hamper Tigrayan fighters without necessarily securing the vast rural areas where the rebel forces regrouped during the previous war, Taylor said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Main roads leading Yemen’s third-largest city have been closed amid rebel attacks, with regular clashes on the outskirts and overnight bombardment.
    — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • Telemachus’ lone contribution is killing Melanthius, the traitorous Ithacan farmhand, thus preventing him from continuing to arm the suitors.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • And at the very center of Hell is Satan himself, the traitorous Archangel Lucifer, depicted as a monstrous creature with wings and three heads.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Definition of traitorous
Adjective
  • From men wearing pink to push back against the pressures of toxic masculinity to women pushing back against unrealistic body standards, pink has become a color of defiant empathy.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Hazlewood broke the defiant stand between Markram and Wiaan Mulder that started late Monday and endured for nearly two more hours on Tuesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of defiant
Adjective
  • Robert Stephenson’s burgeoning locomotive system was the perfect early adopter of this revolutionary communications network.
    — Mike McRae October 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Iranian revolutionary guard’s engineering cadre trained at MIT.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of revolutionary
Adjective
  • The Federal Reserve is also hiking rates again to rein in stubborn inflation.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Pair that with five years of stubborn inflation, and workers are losing even more ground.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of stubborn

Browse Nearby Words

rebellions
rebellious
rebelliousness
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Cite this Entry

“Rebellious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellious. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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