rebellious

[ri-bel-yuhs] / rɪˈbɛl yəs /

ADJECTIVE

disobedient, unmanageable

Synonyms

STRONGEST

alienated disaffected fractious recalcitrant restless turbulent unruly warring

WEAK

anarchistic attacking bellicose contumacious defiant difficult disloyal disobedient disorderly dissident factious iconoclastic incorrigible individualistic insurgent insurrectionary intractable mutinous obstinate pugnacious quarrelsome radical rebel refractory resistant revolutionary rioting riotous sabotaging seditious threatening treasonable ungovernable

Antonyms

STRONGEST

happy obedient

WEAK

compliant governable manageable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Over the next decade, rebellious colonists used ads to spread the word about boycotts on British products.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Thoughtful and easygoing offstage, Peaches’ seemingly rebellious onstage shenanigans are hardly a reaction to her upbringing.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

“Then suddenly, this burst on the scene in January,” more rebellious than ever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

"Maverick, independent, to a certain extent rebellious - it was all good stuff," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

Even before the British got into their transports, word had come back to Boston that the King’s fort at Portsmouth had been seized and His Majesty’s military stores stolen by the rebellious Americans.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

Vocabulary lists containing rebellious

Fighting Words: Belli and Milit

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