rebel

[reb-uhl, ri-bel]

noun

1. a person who refuses allegiance to, resists, or rises in arms against the government or ruler of their country.

   Synonyms: insurgent, traitor, mutineer, insurrectionist

2. a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition.

adjective

1. rebellious; defiant.

   Synonyms: mutinous, insurgent

2. of or relating to rebels.

verb (used without object)

rebel, rebelled, rebelling. 

1. to reject, resist, or rise in arms against one's government or ruler.

   Synonyms: mutiny, revolt

2. to resist or rise against some authority, control, or tradition.

3. to show or feel utter repugnance.

   His very soul rebelled at spanking the child.

rebel

verb

1. to resist or rise up against a government or other authority, esp by force of arms

2. to dissent from an accepted moral code or convention of behaviour, dress, etc

3. to show repugnance (towards)

noun

1. 1. a person who rebels

   2. ( as modifier )

      a rebel soldier

      a rebel leader

2. a person who dissents from some accepted moral code or convention of behaviour, dress, etc

Other Word Forms

• rebellike adjective
• nonrebel noun
• prorebel adjective
• semirebel noun
• rebeldom noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rebel¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English adjective rebel(e), from Old French rebelle, from Latin rebellis “renewing a war,” equivalent to re- re- + bell(um) “war” + -is adjective suffix; Middle English verb rebelle(n), from Old French rebeller and Latin rebellāre; noun derivative of the adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rebel¹

C13: from Old French rebelle , from Latin rebellis insurgent, from _re- + bellum war

Example Sentences

Experts say Myanmar's military has long turned a blind eye to scam centres which profit its militia allies who are crucial collaborators in their fight against rebels.

Read more on Barron's

The Sudanese army now controls Khartoum, strategic Port Sudan on the Red Sea and other parts of the east, while the rebels hold the western and central regions.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Beijing trained the rebels in guerrilla warfare, Marxist-Leninist theory and "people's war".

Read more on BBC

KAMPALA, Uganda—Sudanese rebels captured the last government stronghold in Darfur, seizing full control of a region where they have twice been accused of committing genocide.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Then in 2002 a military uprising effectively cut the country in two, with rebels holding the north and the army retaining control of the south.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• defy 
• overthrow 
• renounce 
• resist 
• revolt 
• secede 
• take up arms 

When To Use

What does rebel mean?

A rebel is a person who resists or defies rules or norms or rises up against the powers that be.In its more serious sense, a rebel is a revolutionary trying to overthrow a government. More generally, it means someone who breaks the rules, resists authority, or otherwise challenges the status quo by doing things in a nontraditional way, such as in fashion and other arts. As a noun, rebel is pronounced "REB-uhl."Rebel is also a verb meaning to resist or rise up against authority or tradition. As a verb, rebel is pronounced "ri-BELL."Example: Danielle refused to wear her uniform to school, fighting with the principle and urging the other girls to rebel against the policy as she did.