rebellion

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun rebellion differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rebellion are insurrection, mutiny, revolt, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

Where would mutiny be a reasonable alternative to rebellion?

The words mutiny and rebellion can be used in similar contexts, but mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

How do revolt and insurrection relate to one another, in the sense of rebellion?

Both revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

When might revolution be a better fit than rebellion?

The words revolution and rebellion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

In what contexts can uprising take the place of rebellion?

While in some cases nearly identical to rebellion, uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rebellion What was at first written off as mere youthful rebellion, destined to fizzle out, ultimately yielded the appointment of a Deaf president, and helped galvanize the greater movement that led to the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act. John Hendrickson, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025 The dance sequence that caps off the report, giving expression to centuries of female trauma and rebellion, takes us into a realm beyond words that likely would have terrorized the anxious men of 1692 Salem. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025 The end of season 2, which saw Lee Jung-jae’s Gi-hun try to stage a rebellion against the macabre games and the antagonistic Front Man, ended in a cliffhanger tragedy, so tension is already high going in for this final round. Lucy Ford, Time, 19 May 2025 The rebellion ramps up, but not without struggle, sacrifice, and Serena's help. EW.com, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for rebellion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebellion
Noun
  • Five days later, after a revolt, he was reinstated.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2025
  • Related article As Trump reignites a trade war and faces a bond market revolt, the economy is about to go through the wringer this week It’s been somewhat difficult to assess the true health of consumer spending lately.
    Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • The look is in stark defiance of a proliferating security mentality in schools to stop active shooters.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
  • The Pakistan Crescent Collective made a triumphant return to the Cannes Film Market this week, presenting a powerhouse panel that positioned filmmaking as an act of creative defiance against decades of limiting stereotypes.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • What’s the political climate, social climate that has to exist in order for an insurrection to appear?
    Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
  • It was suspended across the states during the entire Civil War; in counties in South Carolina that were overrun by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction; in specific places in the Philippines during an insurrection in 1905; and in Hawaii following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
    Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Karen Young, founder of the inclusive body care brand Oui the People, similarly recalls the emotional labor of leading during collective crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 racial uprisings and the recent election.
    Jasmine Browley, Essence, 28 May 2025
  • Filmmakers, inspired by the uprising, began creating without hijab, without state approval, and often in complete secrecy.
    Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Congressional Republicans Thursday agreed to move forward with President Trump’s sprawling budget plan a day after a mutiny by right-wing lawmakers threatened to derail it.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In 1995, prosecutors wanted to question the former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan on insurrection and mutiny charges stemming from his role in a 1979 coup and a massacre of demonstrators the following year.
    Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • In 2016, a British passenger flying Flybe—a now-defunct regional airline—from Amsterdam to Exeter was fined more than $600 for his disobedience.
    Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2025
  • The one who escalated the disobedience was the company under the direct command of its largest shareholder.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The three Māori lawmakers declined to appear before the committee during its investigation, citing disrespect for their cultural traditions.
    Julia Zhong, NBC news, 5 June 2025
  • Kelce saw some disrespect in those rankings, coming in at No. 7 on the list.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rebellion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebellion. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on rebellion

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