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Meaning & use

rebellious

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/rɪˈbeljəs/
US/rɪˈbeljəs/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Unwilling to obey rules or authority, and likely to act against what you are told.

    Grammar: Can follow a linking verb or come before a noun: she felt rebellious; a rebellious teenager.

    Patterns

    • rebellious against something
    • a rebellious streak

    As a teenager, she went through a rebellious phase.

    The rebellious students refused to wear the uniform.

    He has a rebellious streak and hates being told what to do.

  2. adjectivebefore a nounformal

    Taking part in an armed or organized uprising against a government or ruler.

    Grammar: Used before a noun: rebellious troops, a rebellious province.

    The king sent troops to the rebellious northern provinces.

    Rebellious soldiers took control of the radio station.

Word forms

comparativemore rebellious
superlativemost rebellious

Common combinations

rebellious teenager
Their rebellious teenager dyed her hair blue.
rebellious streak
He has always had a rebellious streak.
rebellious phase
Most children go through a rebellious phase.
feel rebellious
After a week of rules, I felt rebellious and stayed out late.
rebellious spirit
Her rebellious spirit made her a great reformer.

Synonyms and how they differ

defiant
Defiant describes openly refusing to obey in a particular moment, while rebellious suggests a wider tendency to resist.
disobedient
Disobedient focuses on not following orders and is often used for children or pets, whereas rebellious has a stronger sense of challenging authority.
mutinous
Mutinous is stronger and used for crews or soldiers revolting against their leaders.

Opposites

obedientcompliant

Word family

rebel verb
to resist authority
rebel noun
a person who resists authority or fights against a government
rebellion noun
an organized act of resistance against authority
rebelliousness noun
the quality of being rebellious

Commonly confused: rebellious or revolutionary?

rebellious vs revolutionary

Revolutionary describes a movement aiming to overthrow a system or a very new idea, while rebellious describes resisting rules, often more personal.

Practice

Her parents were worried because she had become so ___ and ignored every rule at home.

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