insurgent

American  

[in-sur-juhnt] / ɪnˈsɜr dʒənt /

noun

insurgents plural

1. a person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, especially a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its laws; rebel.

2. a member of a section of a political party that revolts against the methods or policies of the party.

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adjective

1. of or characteristic of an insurgent or insurgents.

   Synonyms:

   mutinous, revolutionary, rebellious

2. surging or rushing in.

   The insurgent waves battered the shore.

insurgent British  

/ ɪnˈsɜːdʒənt /

adjective

1. rebellious or in revolt, as against a government in power or the civil authorities

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noun

1. a person who takes part in an uprising or rebellion; insurrectionist

2. international law a person or group that rises in revolt against an established government or authority but whose conduct does not amount to belligerency

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• insurgency
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• insurgents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of insurgent

1755–65; < Latin insurgent- (stem of insurgēns ) present participle of insurgere to get up, ascend, rebel. See in- ², surge, -ent

Explanation

An insurgent is a rebel or a revolutionary, someone who takes up arms against the authorities. Insurgent is from the Latin word “insurgentem,” literally meaning “to rise against,” so think of an insurgent as a fighter who rises against the people in power. Often insurgents are considered terrorists because they use violence to intimidate people.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

insurgent insurgents

But nationally we’re seeing that kind of insurgent recruitment, including with Platner.

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026

For decades there have been clashes in Balochistan between Pakistani forces and insurgent separatist groups demanding greater autonomy.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Spencer Pratt had a few things going for him when he launched an insurgent campaign to become Los Angeles’ next mayor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Bringing up the insurgent rear is Spencer Pratt, a one-time reality TV villain whose house burned down in the devastating fires.

From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026

While Jack was on leave taking care of Sophie, Hoagland told me how Jack had been abducted in Cyprus by a red insurgent faction in sixty-four.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

"The Christians we're hearing in Washington don't reflect the Jesus of the Gospels," one of the insurgents, Adam Hamilton, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026

On Saturday he tweeted his congratulations to four primary winners in New York City, including the three DSA insurgents, complete with their photographs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Twenty years ago, the grim and creatively valorous third season thrust the story’s human heroes into the role of insurgents.

From Salon ● May 5, 2026

Nigeria's north‑east has seen repeated incidents in recent years in which military air operations against Islamist insurgents have mistakenly hit civilians, including in villages, camps for displaced people and markets.

From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2026

Because really, Werner thinks, they are all insurgents, all partisans, every single person they see.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• demonstrator
• mutineer
• radical
• revolutionary
• rioter