Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense rebels, present participle rebelling, past tense, past participle rebelledpronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (rebəl). The verb is pronounced (rɪbel).
1. countable noun [usually plural]
Rebels are people who are fighting against their own country's army in order to change the political system there.
...fighting between rebels and government forces.
...rebel forces in Liberia.
Synonyms: revolutionary, resistance fighter, insurgent, secessionist More Synonyms of rebel
2. countable noun
Politicians who oppose some of their own party's policies can be referred to as rebels.
The rebels want another 1% cut in interest rates.
...rebel MPs.
3. verb
If politicians rebel against one of their own party's policies, they show that they oppose it.
There are signs that MPs are rebelling against a new regime of austerity at the Commons. [VERB + against]
...MPs planning to rebel over the proposed welfare cuts. [VERB + over]
4. countable noun
You can say that someone is a rebel if you think that they behave differently from other people and have rejected the values of society or of their parents.
She had been a rebel at school.
Synonyms: nonconformist, dissident, maverick, dissenter More Synonyms of rebel
5. verb
When someone rebels, they start to behave differently from other people and reject the values of society or of theirparents.
The child who rebels is unlikely to be overlooked. [VERB]
I was very young and rebelling against everything. [VERB + against]
Synonyms: defy, dissent, disobey, come out against More Synonyms of rebel
More Synonyms of rebel
rebel in British English
verb (rɪˈbɛl)Word forms: -bels, -belling or -belled(intransitive; often foll byagainst)
1.
to resist or rise up against a government or other authority, esp by force of arms
2.
to dissent from an accepted moral code or convention of behaviour, dress, etc
3.
to show repugnance (towards)
noun (ˈrɛbəl)
4.
a.
a person who rebels
b.
(as modifier)
a rebel soldier
a rebel leader
5.
a person who dissents from some accepted moral code or convention of behaviour, dress,etc
Derived forms
rebeldom (ˈrebeldom)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French rebelle, from Latin rebellis insurgent, from re- + bellum war
rebel in American English
(ˈrɛbəl; for v. rɪˈbɛl)
noun
1.
one who engages in armed resistance against the established government of one's country
to be a rebel against the established government of one's country
7.
to resist any authority or controls
to rebel against one's parents
8.
to feel or show strong aversion; be repelled
his mind rebels at the thought
Word origin
ME < OFr rebelle < L rebellis, rebel, rebellious < rebellare < re-, again + bellare, to wage war < bellum, war: see duel
Examples of 'rebel' in a sentence
rebel
But clashes erupted between rebels and government troops.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Rebel leaders met to discuss American proposals to withdraw, allowing civilians also to be moved out.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Rather than risk a second referendum, the government and rebels decided to ratify the new deal in Congress.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Key to this plan is the gradual strengthening of the rebel army.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The military rebels and the people who put them down had both shown savage faces.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Last week the rebel government vowed to place the militias firmly under its control.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Will they find it in themselves to rebel one last time and cause mayhem?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Now is the time to rebel and oppose what you think is wrong in the media.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Their throats were cut by another rebel.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
People could rebel against him anonymously by writing a letter requesting a vote of no confidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
People are rebelling against that and we are making that challenge right now.
The Sun (2010)
For the next three months widespread and savage killings by both rebels and government forces caused some thirty thousand deaths.
Frank Welsh THE FOUR NATIONS: A History of the United Kingdom (2002)
Critics point to the logistical difficulties of supplying weapons and the lack of clarity over the composition of the rebel army.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Government forces said yesterday that they had pushed the rebels back another three miles after heavy fighting earlier in the week.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You are now in rebel country.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
After forcing the former president to flee the country, rebel forces descended on the presidential palace.
Christianity Today (2000)
A new and more bitter tone can be detected in the rebel forces.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was not clear where the remains were bound after rebel leaders said that they would stay on the train until international investigators arrived at the scene.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
And most Tories are rebelling against their leader 's fervour for them.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Quotations
What is a rebel? A man who says noAlbert CamusThe Rebel
To be a rebel is not to be a revolutionary. It is more often but a way of spinning one's wheels deeper in the sandKate MillettSexual Politics
No one can go on being a rebel too long without turning into an autocratLawrence DurrellBalthazar
In other languages
rebel
British English: rebel NOUN
Rebels are people who are fighting against the people who are in charge somewhere, for example the government.
...fighting between rebels and government forces.
American English: rebel
Brazilian Portuguese: rebelde
Chinese: 反叛者
European Spanish: rebelde
French: rebelle
German: Rebell
Italian: ribelle
Japanese: 反逆者
Korean: 반역자
European Portuguese: rebelde
Latin American Spanish: rebelde
British English: rebel VERB
If politicians rebel against one of their own party's policies, they show that they oppose it.
More than forty representatives rebelled against the government and voted against the bill.
American English: rebel
Brazilian Portuguese: rebelar-se
Chinese: 反对因不同政见
European Spanish: rebelarse
French: se rebeller
German: rebellieren
Italian: ribellarsi
Japanese: 反対する
Korean: 저항하다
European Portuguese: rebelar-se
Latin American Spanish: rebelarse
Chinese translation of 'rebel'
rebel
(nˈrɛbl; vbrɪˈbɛl)
n(c)
(against society, parents) 反叛者 (fǎnpànzhě)
(in uprising) 起义(義)者 (qǐyìzhě)
(in politics) 持不同政见(見)者 (chí bùtóng zhèngjiànzhě)
vi
(against society, parents) 反叛 (fǎnpàn)
(in uprising) 起义(義) (qǐyì)
(in politics) 反对(對) (fǎnduì)
1 (noun)
Definition
a person who rebels
fighting between rebels and government forces
Synonyms
revolutionary
The revolutionaries laid down their arms.
resistance fighter
insurgent
The insurgents took control of the main military air base.
secessionist
mutineer
insurrectionary
revolutionist
2 (noun)
Definition
a person who rejects accepted conventions of behaviour
She had been a rebel at school.
Synonyms
nonconformist
Hoover's task was to collect information on radicals and nonconformists.
dissident
political dissidents
maverick
He was too much of a maverick to hold high office.
dissenter
They do not tolerate dissenters in their ranks.
heretic
He was considered a heretic and was ridiculed for his ideas.
apostate
He was an early apostate, leaving the party last year.
schismatic
1 (verb)
Definition
to fight against the ruling power
Poverty-stricken citizens could rise up and rebel.
Synonyms
revolt
The townspeople revolted.
resist
rise up
mutiny
Units around the city mutinied after receiving no pay.
take to the streets
take up arms
man the barricades
2 (verb)
Definition
to reject accepted conventions of behaviour
The child who rebels against his parents is unlikely to be overlooked.
Synonyms
defy
This was the first time that I had dared to defy her.
dissent
disobey
He disobeyed his parents so much when he was a child.
come out against
refuse to obey
dig your heels in (informal)
3 (verb)
His free spirit rebelled at this demand.
Synonyms
recoil
People used to recoil from the idea of getting into debt.
shrink
shy away
flinch
The slightest pressure made her flinch.
show repugnance
(modifier)
Definition
rebelling
Many soldiers in this rebel platoon joined as teenagers.
Synonyms
rebellious
revolutionary
insurgent
mutinous
insubordinate
insurrectionary
Quotations
What is a rebel? A man who says no [Albert Camus – The Rebel]To be a rebel is not to be a revolutionary. It is more often but a way of spinning one's wheels deeper in the sand [Kate Millett – Sexual Politics]No one can go on being a rebel too long without turning into an autocrat [Lawrence Durrell – Balthazar]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of apostate
Definition
a person who has abandoned his or her religion, political party, or cause
He was an early apostate, leaving the party last year.
Synonyms
deserter,
traitor,
renegade,
defector,
heretic,
turncoat,
backslider,
recreant (archaic)
in the sense of disobey
Definition
to neglect or refuse to obey (a person or an order)
He disobeyed his parents so much when he was a child.
Synonyms
defy,
ignore,
rebel,
resist,
disregard,
refuse to obey,
dig your heels in (informal),
go counter to
in the sense of dissenter
They do not tolerate dissenters in their ranks.
Synonyms
objector,
dissident,
nonconformist,
protestant,
disputant
Synonyms of 'rebel'
rebel
Explore 'rebel' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of dissident
Definition
a person who disagrees with a government or a powerful organization
political dissidents
Synonyms
protester,
rebel,
dissenter,
demonstrator,
agitator,
recusant,
protest marcher
in the sense of flinch
Definition
to draw back suddenly from pain or something unpleasant
The slightest pressure made her flinch.
Synonyms
wince,
start,
duck,
shrink,
cringe,
quail,
recoil,
cower,
blench
in the sense of heretic
Definition
a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field
He was considered a heretic and was ridiculed for his ideas.
Synonyms
nonconformist,
dissident,
separatist,
sectarian,
renegade,
revisionist,
dissenter,
apostate,
schismatic
in the sense of insurgent
Definition
a person who takes part in a rebellion
The insurgents took control of the main military air base.
Synonyms
rebel,
revolutionary,
revolter,
rioter,
resister,
mutineer,
revolutionist,
insurrectionist
in the sense of maverick
Definition
a person of independent or unorthodox views
He was too much of a maverick to hold high office.
Synonyms
rebel,
radical,
dissenter,
individualist,
protester,
eccentric,
heretic,
nonconformist,
iconoclast,
dissentient
in the sense of mutiny
Definition
to engage in mutiny
Units around the city mutinied after receiving no pay.