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.

Named after the Roman numerals of its rebellious 54-hole concept, LIV certainly managed to disrupt the status quo.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

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

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Jimenez, who says she was an angsty teen, most closely identifies with the rebellious Mira.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

Mother always said, “Sam isn’t really rebellious, just too quick with his tongue. If he’d only learn to stop and think before he spoke.”

From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Vocabulary lists containing rebellious

Fighting Words: Belli and Milit

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List 7

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Tears of a Tiger

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