Meaning & use
rebelliously
Last updated
Meaning
adverb
In a way that shows refusal to obey rules or authority.
Grammar: It modifies a verb and often comes after it, as in 'She spoke rebelliously.'
Patterns
- act rebelliously
- speak rebelliously
- behave rebelliously
The teenager dressed rebelliously, with torn jeans and a bright green mohawk.
He rebelliously refused to follow the school's dress code.
She rebelliously questioned every rule her parents made.
Common combinations
- act rebelliously
- The students acted rebelliously by skipping the assembly.
- speak rebelliously
- He spoke rebelliously against the new policy.
- behave rebelliously
- The child behaved rebelliously when told to go to bed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- defiantly
- Defiantly suggests open, often angry resistance, while rebelliously can be more about a general attitude or style.
- disobediently
- Disobediently focuses on breaking specific rules, whereas rebelliously often implies a broader rejection of authority.
Opposites
Word family
- rebel noun
- A person who fights against authority.
- rebellious adjective
- Showing a desire to resist authority.
- rebellion noun
- An act of open resistance.
Commonly confused: rebelliously or rebellious?
rebelliously vs rebellious
Rebellious is an adjective (a rebellious child), while rebelliously is an adverb (act rebelliously).
Practice
Choose the correct word: 'She ___ refused to wear the uniform.'
Choose one answer.
The adverb 'rebelliously' describes how she refused. 'Rebellious' is an adjective and would need a noun, as in 'a rebellious girl'. 'Rebellion' is a noun, and 'rebel' is a noun or verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rebelliously”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.