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
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
Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Russia, which in recent years has been focused on the fighting in Ukraine and kept only a small military contingent in Syria, didn’t try to counter the rebel offensive.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
On the other hand, Bennu is the rebel — its glycine likely originated in frozen ice exposed to harsh radiation in the outer reaches of the solar system.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
In the meantime, an unstable government could become more rather than less aggressive, not least to keep younger hard-liners from rebelling.
—Arkansas Online, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Adjective
The image, known as the rebel loon, blends the outline of a loon with the familiar rebellion emblem.
—Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Russia, which in recent years has been focused on the fighting in Ukraine and kept only a small military contingent in Syria, didn’t try to counter the rebel offensive.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Lucas’s focus on getting paid brings him in for the book’s harshest criticism; Fischer casts him as a rebel turned sellout.
—Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
On the other hand, Bennu is the rebel — its glycine likely originated in frozen ice exposed to harsh radiation in the outer reaches of the solar system.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
Amid all that, Varsity Blues — about a Texas high-school football team rebelling against its abusive coach and holding on to one last gasp of glory before graduation — got a little lost.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
In the meantime, an unstable government could become more rather than less aggressive, not least to keep younger hard-liners from rebelling.
—Arkansas Online, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebel
Cite this Entry
“Rebel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebel. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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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