Definitions

rebellious

[ri-bel-yuhs] / rɪˈbɛl jəs /

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.

Ms. Kuin, a classicist at the University of Virginia, presents many of them in “Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

The "Toxic" singer said her artwork was an "expression" of how she's "feeling at the moment": "Rebellious… colorful…bright…bold …spontaneous…magical."

From Fox News • Jul. 27, 2021

Rebellious teenagers and hip-hop heads weren’t the only people paying attention.

From Slate • Feb. 14, 2020

Rebellious scenes with Rey should be near-regular occurrences, not rarities.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2019

Rebellious and full of rage, he could offer me no safety, only greater danger.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Vocabulary lists containing rebellious

List 7

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Fighting Words: Belli and Milit

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Tears of a Tiger

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