rebellion

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun rebellion differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rebellion are insurrection, mutiny, revolt, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

Where would mutiny be a reasonable alternative to rebellion?

The words mutiny and rebellion can be used in similar contexts, but mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

How do revolt and insurrection relate to one another, in the sense of rebellion?

Both revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

When might revolution be a better fit than rebellion?

The words revolution and rebellion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

In what contexts can uprising take the place of rebellion?

While in some cases nearly identical to rebellion, uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

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 rebellion Will Natalie’s act of rebellion cause anyone to rise against Shauna, and what would a coup attempt look like? Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025 Moss, who also executive produces and made her directorial debut with episodes of the show, agreed that June has pushed characters in authority to do better, let alone spearheading rebellion amongst the oppressed. Fred Topel, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025 The museum’s collections and digital exhibits include material about trans women, including the activist Sylvia Rivera, who helped lead the 1969 Stonewall rebellion, and the professional skateboarder Cher Strauberry, who donated one of her skate decks to the museum. Zachary Small, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 The hit show returns with its sixth and final season on April 8, and audiences should brace for an explosive finale as the rebellion in Gilead finally ignites. Abigail Lee, Variety, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rebellion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellion
Noun
  • Listen to this article Nearly a year after record heat and surging electric bills sparked a ratepayer revolt, the legislature is set to take up a bill that could cut hundreds of millions of dollars from customer rates by restructuring how the state buys energy and how customers pay for it.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The longtime leader of the latter group, George Gresham, is said to personally support endorsing Mr. Cuomo but is facing a broader revolt within his union.
    Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • His passing closes a chapter on one of the most notorious sagas in internet history, leaving behind a complex legacy of entrepreneurship, controversy, and defiance.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2025
  • And yet, the core of the brand—the audacity, the punk defiance, the challenge to authority—remains intact.
    Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Yet the movement was deeply involved in a dramatic example of recent political violence: the January 6 insurrection, during which four people died and more than 100 police officers were injured.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025
  • One of his first acts as president was to pardon those responsible for the Jan. 6 insurrection.
    Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Alaa Abd El-Fattah was a leading activist in the country’s 2011 uprising.
    Mounira Elsamra, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The island was the site of an uprising in the late 1940s, one that was brutally suppressed by the anticommunist Korean government with the apparent support of occupying American forces; tens of thousands of people were killed.
    Vulture Editors, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • It has been used to punish mutinies and desertion in armies, as frontier justice in America's Old West and as a tool of terror and political repression in the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • An article on Sunday about a small mutiny at Chautauqua Institution misidentified the writer of a letter quoted from The Gadfly.
    New York Times, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Alleging disobedience, among other claimed doctrinal infractions, the OCA excommunicated the Homyks and longtime parish council leader Rivera.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Outright disobedience is exceedingly rare.
    Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Maintain safety by allowing your teen to share sensitive information without judgement, punishment, disrespect, or harsh criticism.
    Sherri Gordon, Parents, 4 Mar. 2025
  • From today’s extended look, director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have delivered something that’s akin to a Top Gun with lots of riveting, cut-the-corner race scenes that outstrip those of James Mangold’s Ford v. Ferrari (no disrespect) and bromance camaraderie.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rebellion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellion. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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