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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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
In truth, the school did not have a category, much less a scene, for the kind of man Heff was becoming: an old-school, rebellious beat.
—
Mark Oppenheimer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2024
Directed by Jason Reitman, the film depicts the rebellious group of writers and performers who helped create a comedy institution that has defied all predictions by enduring on NBC for half a century.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
In Orange County, California, this counterculture moment takes the youth by storm, becoming a sanctuary for rebellious teens.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024
He was struck by how Lin was tapping into something slightly rebellious.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rebellious 
Mark Oppenheimer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2024
Directed by Jason Reitman, the film depicts the rebellious group of writers and performers who helped create a comedy institution that has defied all predictions by enduring on NBC for half a century.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
In Orange County, California, this counterculture moment takes the youth by storm, becoming a sanctuary for rebellious teens.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024
He was struck by how Lin was tapping into something slightly rebellious.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rebellious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellious
Adjective
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In the years since, the insurgent creator economy has tempted more journalists away to run upstart operations, and consumers have grown increasingly accustomed to paying piecemeal for access to individual writers.Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024
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Among other things, the insurgent Red forces, led by Marine General Paul van Riper, used low-tech tactics including motorcycle couriers instead of cellphones to evade the Blue forces’ high-tech surveillance.Richard Forno, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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The rebel spark in my heart, though, wasn’t completely snuffed.Lili Anolik, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
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Over the past year, the conflict between rebel forces and government troops in Myanmar has brought new refugees to the settlements.Maria Isabel Barros Guinle, NPR, 1 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Simultaneously, Hal is on a call with President Rayburn to brief him on Penn's traitorous schemes.Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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Assassinations first target Republicans deemed traitorous.Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The Trump campaign had come back to Butler to stage its own retaliation, an over-the-top reminder that its candidate was defiant in the face of death, and possibly preordained for the Presidency.Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
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Despite the legal case, a defiant Musk posted the latest winner in his $1m giveaway on X this morning.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The Academy’s country voters have trended a touch more progressive than the Nashville institutions that continue to snub Bey, so this isn’t revolutionary.Justin Curto, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
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Additionally, the revolutionary Netscape Navigator web browser emerged from this region, paving the way for our modern digital landscape.Tim Bajarin, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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McCaffrey hadn’t played since the Super Bowl in Las Vegas while battling a stubborn case of Achilles tendinitis.Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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You might be tempted to whip out your strongest acne-fighting products to destroy your stubborn zit.Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near rebellious
Cite this Entry
“Rebellious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellious. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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