Insurgents are people who are fighting against the government or army of their own country.
[formal]
By early yesterday, the insurgents had taken control of the country's main militaryair base.
Synonyms: rebel, revolutionary, revolter, rioter More Synonyms of insurgent
More Synonyms of insurgent
insurgent in British English
(ɪnˈsɜːdʒənt)
adjective
1.
rebellious or in revolt, as against a government in power or the civil authorities
noun
2.
a person who takes part in an uprising or rebellion; insurrectionist
3. international law
a person or group that rises in revolt against an established government or authority but whose conduct does not amount to belligerency
Derived forms
insurgency (inˈsurgency)
noun
Word origin
C18: from Latin insurgēns rising upon or against, from insurgere to rise up, from surgere to rise
insurgent in American English
(ɪnˈsɜrdʒənt)
adjective
1.
rising up against established authority; rebellious
; specif.,
a.
designating or of a revolt or rebellion not well enough organized to be recognized in international law as belligerency
b.
designating or of a faction in revolt against the leadership of a political party
noun
2.
a person engaged in insurgent activity
Derived forms
insurgently (inˈsurgently)
adverb
Word origin
L insurgens, prp. of insurgere, to rise up (against) < in-, in, upon + surgere, to rise: see surge
Examples of 'insurgent' in a sentence
insurgent
Nato maintained its military pressure on the insurgents yesterday.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We've got to be an insurgent party.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The insurgents use human shields and Nato knows this.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was to retain this military advantage that the Roman armies forbade its use by potential insurgents in occupied barbarian countries.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In the face of new air strikes against the rebels in the town yesterday, the insurgents claimed to have shot down at least three jets.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The nine-month hiatus took a heavy toll on the country, with insurgents exploiting the lack of leadership.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Since he unveiled his plan, there has been a whirlwind of contacts between the Government and insurgent groups as they position themselves for negotiations.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
insurgent
British English: insurgent NOUN
Insurgents are people who are fighting against the government or army of their own country.
By early yesterday, the insurgents had taken control of the country's main military air base.
American English: insurgent
Brazilian Portuguese: insurgente
Chinese: 起义者
European Spanish: insurgente
French: insurgé
German: Aufständische
Italian: insorto
Japanese: 反抗分子
Korean: 반란자
European Portuguese: insurgente
Latin American Spanish: insurgente
(noun)
Definition
a person who takes part in a rebellion
The insurgents took control of the main military air base.
Synonyms
rebel
fighting between rebels and government forces
revolutionary
The revolutionaries laid down their arms.
revolter
rioter
resister
mutineer
revolutionist
insurrectionist
(adjective)
Definition
rebellious or in revolt against an established authority
The insurgent leaders were put on trial.
Synonyms
rebellious
a rebellious and dissident territory
revolutionary
Do you know anything about the revolutionary movement?
mutinous
His own army, stung by defeat, is mutinous.
revolting
riotous
a riotous mob of hooligans
seditious
He fell under suspicion for distributing seditious pamphlets.
disobedient
Her tone was that of a parent ordering a disobedient child.
insubordinate
Workers who are grossly insubordinate are threatened with discharge.
insurrectionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of disobedient
Definition
refusing to obey
Her tone was that of a parent ordering a disobedient child.
Synonyms
defiant,
disorderly,
contrary,
naughty,
wayward,
mischievous,
unruly,
intractable,
wilful,
undisciplined,
refractory,
obstreperous,
insubordinate,
noncompliant,
contumacious,
froward (archaic),
nonobservant
in the sense of insubordinate
Definition
not submissive to authority
Workers who are grossly insubordinate are threatened with discharge.