rebel

1 of 3

adjective

reb·​el ˈre-bəl How to pronounce rebel (audio)
Synonyms of rebelnext
1
a
: opposing or taking arms against a government or ruler
b
: of or relating to rebels
the rebel camp
2
: disobedient, rebellious

rebel

2 of 3

noun

: one who rebels or participates in a rebellion

rebel

3 of 3

verb

re·​bel ri-ˈbel How to pronounce rebel (audio)
rebelled; rebelling

intransitive verb

1
a
: to oppose or disobey one in authority or control
b
: to renounce and resist by force the authority of one's government
2
a
: to act in or show opposition or disobedience
rebelled against the conventions of polite society
b
: to feel or exhibit anger or revulsion
rebelled at the injustice of life

Synonyms of rebel

Relevance

Adjective

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of rebel in a Sentence

Adjective today's rebel chefs feel free to ignore the dictates of classic French cuisine Noun The government captured six armed rebels. He was a rebel against the school administration. He is a typical teenage rebel. Verb When the government imposed more taxes, the people rebelled. The protesters are rebelling against the new tax law. Children often rebel against their parents.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Quarterback Jim McMahon wore a headband and adopted a rebel stance while Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton led a powerful attack. — Ira Kaufman, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 In Congo, where the outbreak has spread to seven provinces, responders have faced attacks on health teams, misinformation about the virus, a failure by locals to report symptoms and rebel violence that has limited access to treatment centers. — Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
But the rebels earlier acknowledged targeting Saudi airports and oil and military installations in recent days. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 Across the border, the rebels have grown more powerful, consolidating control over major cities and pushing to seize others, such as the densely populated Taiz. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
Saudi commentators publicly cast the UAE as a younger sibling rebelling against a wiser one. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 Related Articles As with other members of Viennese Actionism, active in the 1960s and ’70s in the Austrian capital, Weiner’s work sought to rebel against the country’s conservative society in the decades following World War II. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rebel

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin rebellis, from re- + bellum war, from Old Latin duellum

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rebel was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing rebel

Rhymes for rebel

See All Rhymes for rebel

Browse Nearby Words

Rebekah
rebel
rebeldom
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rebel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebel. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rebel

1 of 3 adjective
reb·​el ˈreb-əl How to pronounce rebel (audio)
1
: being or fighting against one's government or ruler
2
: not obeying

rebel

2 of 3 noun
: a person who refuses to give in to authority

rebel

3 of 3 verb
re·​bel ri-ˈbel How to pronounce rebel (audio)
rebelled; rebelling
1
: to be against or fight against authority and especially the authority of one's government
2
: to feel or show anger or strong dislike
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