1
a
: opposing or taking arms against a government or ruler
b
: of or relating to rebels
the rebel camp
2
rebelled; rebelling
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
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
Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2025
The declaration also reiterated previous steps dissolving Assad’s Baath Party and his state security apparatus and said rebel groups that fought him during 13 years of war were to be dissolved and merged into the state.
—Reuters, NBC News, 30 Jan. 2025
Ian Bremmer, TIME, 2 Feb. 2025
Though it is touted by many as the world’s best missile defense, attacks by Iran last year showed that the Iron Done is far from unbeatable, with projectiles fired by Tehran and Houthi rebels landing in Israel.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
Nick Romano, EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025
Today’s Supreme Court unanimously and actively embraces a progressive writing style, rebelling against old-school grammar rules, according to my study of 10,000 pages of opinions from the past decade.
—Jill Barton, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rebel 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Particularly devastating on rebel strongholds were some 82,000 barrel bombs, 55-gallon drums filled with explosives and dropped from helicopters.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2025
The declaration also reiterated previous steps dissolving Assad’s Baath Party and his state security apparatus and said rebel groups that fought him during 13 years of war were to be dissolved and merged into the state.
—Reuters, NBC News, 30 Jan. 2025
Noun
Yemen’s Houthi rebels continue to attack shipping traffic through the Red Sea, but an emboldened Israel has scored direct hits against its fighters, including inside Yemen itself.
—Ian Bremmer, TIME, 2 Feb. 2025
Though it is touted by many as the world’s best missile defense, attacks by Iran last year showed that the Iron Done is far from unbeatable, with projectiles fired by Tehran and Houthi rebels landing in Israel.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
Verb
Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady, now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma’s overprotective rules.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025
Today’s Supreme Court unanimously and actively embraces a progressive writing style, rebelling against old-school grammar rules, according to my study of 10,000 pages of opinions from the past decade.
—Jill Barton, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rebel
Dictionary Entries Near rebel
Cite this Entry
“Rebel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebel. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rebel
1 of 3 adjective
reb·el
ˈreb-əl 
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
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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