rebel

1.nounB2

Definition

a person engaged in armed opposition to the government that rules their country.

Example

The rebels captured the capital after months of fighting.

collocation: rebel forces / rebel fighters

The government offered the rebels a chance to surrender peacefully.

Common collocations

rebel leader
rebel group
rebel army
rebel forces
join the rebels

Synonyms

insurgent
more formal; often used in news reports about ongoing conflicts
guerrilla
focuses on fighting style — small groups using surprise attacks
freedom fighter
positive or sympathetic term for someone the speaker supports

Antonyms

loyalist
a person who remains faithful to the government

Usage Note

Often used in the plural (rebels) to refer to an organised armed group operating within a country.

Common Mistakes

The rebel attacked the government building.' (using rebel for a soldier in a national army)

The rebels attacked the government building.

'rebel' refers to someone fighting their OWN government, not a soldier of a foreign army.

2.nounB2

Definition

a person who refuses to follow accepted rules, customs, or standards of behaviour in society.

Example

At school, Anthony was known as a rebel who never followed the dress code.

collocation: known as a rebel

The fashion designer was a rebel who ignored every seasonal trend.

Common collocations

a rebel without a cause
creative rebel
rebel spirit
teenage rebel

Synonyms

nonconformist
more neutral; describes someone who simply does not follow conventions
maverick
an independent-minded person who does things their own way, often in business or politics
dissenter
someone who disagrees openly with an established opinion or system

Antonyms

conformist
someone who follows social norms and rules
traditionalist
someone who strongly supports established customs

Usage Note

Can be neutral or admiring. A positive context emphasises independence (a creative rebel); a negative one emphasises troublemaking.

1.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

to use force or take up arms against the government of one's own country.

Example

Thousands of citizens rebelled when the army took control of the city.

intransitive: no object needed

The northern tribes rebelled against the king's new tax laws.

pattern: rebel against [cause]

Common collocations

rebel against the government
rebel against authority
rebel openly

Synonyms

rise up
slightly less formal; focuses on the action of revolt
revolt
similar meaning, often implies a more organised uprising
mutiny
limited to soldiers or sailors disobeying their commanders

Antonyms

submit
to accept the authority of the government
obey
to follow the orders of those in power

Grammar Patterns

rebel against + [government / authority]

Usage Note

Intransitive only — you rebel against someone/something, not *rebel someone. The subject is typically a group, not an individual acting alone.

Common Mistakes

The army rebelled the president.' (used transitively)

The army rebelled against the president.

'rebel' is intransitive; it needs 'against' to introduce the target of opposition.

2.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

to deliberately not follow rules or the instructions of people who have power over you.

Example

Many teenagers rebel against school rules as a way of expressing themselves.

pattern: rebel against + [rule / person]

When the coach gave unfair orders, the whole team rebelled.

Common collocations

rebel against parents
rebel against authority
rebel against tradition

Synonyms

disobey
straightforward refusal to follow an order; less emotional than rebel
defy
more active and open in showing opposition
resist
implies effort to stop or push back against authority

Antonyms

comply
to follow rules or orders willingly
conform
to behave according to accepted standards

Grammar Patterns

rebel against + [person / rule / institution]

Usage Note

Distinguish from verb/1: this sense involves refusing to obey rules without necessarily using force. The object of rebellion can be a person (parent, teacher) or an institution (school, company).

Common Mistakes

He rebelled his boss.' (missing 'against')

He rebelled against his boss.

always include 'against' when specifying who or what is being opposed.

3.verbintransitiveC1

Definition

to feel or show strong opposition to a situation, emotion, or proposal, especially when it feels restrictive or unpleasant — for example, when your mind rejects a boring routine or your body rejects unhealthy food.

Example

After months of dieting, Élise's body began to rebel against the strict food rules.

pattern: body rebels against [restriction]

Reuben felt his mind rebel against spending forty years in an office.

Common collocations

rebel against the idea
body rebels
stomach rebels
mind rebels

Synonyms

resist
more neutral; can be physical or mental
reject
more definite; the subject refuses to accept something
kick against
idiomatic, informal; expresses frustration with something you cannot change

Antonyms

accept
to receive a situation without objection
embrace
to welcome a plan or change enthusiastically

Grammar Patterns

rebel against + [feeling / situation / plan]

Usage Note

Subject is often a body part, emotion, or instinct rather than a person acting consciously. Unlike verb/1 and verb/2, this sense does not involve a deliberate choice to disobey.

Common Mistakes

I rebelled the plan.' (used transitively)

I rebelled against the plan.' or 'My mind rebelled against the plan.

this sense is intransitive and the subject is often not a person.

1.adjectiveB2

Definition

describing people, groups, or areas that are fighting against the government of their country using force.

Example

Rebel forces attacked the military base just before sunrise.

collocation: rebel forces / rebel army

International aid groups have been allowed into rebel-held areas for the first time.

Common collocations

rebel forces
rebel army
rebel-held territory
rebel leader
rebel commander

Synonyms

insurgent
more formal; used in official reports
revolutionary
broader; can describe political or social movements

Antonyms

loyalist
supporting the existing government
government
as in government troops / government forces

Usage Note

Used only before a noun (attributive). You can say rebel soldiers but not *The soldiers are rebel. For predicative use, choose rebellious instead.

Common Mistakes

The group is rebel.' (adjective used predicatively)

The group is rebellious.' or 'They are rebel soldiers.

'rebel' as an adjective is attributive only (before the noun).

2.adjectiveB2

Definition

connected with or belonging to a group of people who oppose the government.

Example

The radio station was shut down for broadcasting rebel propaganda.

collocation: rebel propaganda / rebel activity

The village was destroyed because of its support for rebel groups in the region.

Common collocations

rebel activity
rebel propaganda
rebel connections
rebel groups
rebel supply lines

Usage Note

Very similar to adj/1 but broader — can describe non-military aspects of the rebel movement such as its propaganda, supply networks, or political activities.

3.adjectiveB1

Definition

refusing to obey rules or follow the usual standards of behaviour expected by others.

Example

As a teenager, Eli had a rebel attitude that got him into trouble.

collocation: rebel attitude / rebel spirit

The school expelled three students for their rebel behaviour in class.

Common collocations

rebel attitude
rebel spirit
rebel style
rebel behaviour
rebel look

Synonyms

rebellious
the standard adjective; can be used both before and after a noun
defiant
suggests open resistance and a refusal to be controlled
disobedient
focuses on failing to follow orders; usually negative

Antonyms

obedient
following rules and orders willingly
compliant
agreeing to do what others ask
well-behaved
acting in a socially acceptable way

Usage Note

Unlike adj/1 and adj/2, this sense is not limited to politics. It describes personal character or fashion. In informal English, it can also follow the verb (e.g. 'He went a bit rebel in college').

Common Mistakes

He is very rebel.' (adjective used predicatively with 'very')

He is very rebellious.

use 'rebellious' after a linking verb for formal or neutral writing.

Word family

rebellion
nounB2
rebellious
adjectiveB2
rebelliously
adverbC1
rebelliousness
nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Rebel, nonconformist, maverick, and dissenter all describe someone who does not go along with the group, but they differ in tone and context. Rebel is the broadest and most emotional word — it suggests active resistance against rules, authority, or social expectations, sometimes with confrontational overtones. Nonconformist is more neutral and describes someone who simply chooses to live differently from the majority, without necessarily fighting against anything. Maverick carries a positive, admiring tone and is most often used in professional contexts — a maverick politician or business leader who breaks from convention but succeeds on their own terms. Dissenter is the most specific: it refers to someone who openly disagrees with a particular opinion, policy, or belief system, especially in political or religious settings. For example, a teenager who pierces their nose to stand out is a rebel; an artist who rejects gallery conventions is a nonconformist; a CEO who ignores industry norms to innovate is a maverick; a politician who votes against their own party is a dissenter.

rebel ↗nonconformistmaverick ↗dissenter

Common collocations

Nouns

rebel forces
rebel army
rebel leader
rebel group
rebel spirit
rebel attitude

Adverbs

openly rebel
actively rebel
quietly rebel
violently rebel

Phrases

rebel against authority
rebel against tradition
rebel without a cause

Prepositions

rebel against
rebel at

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Rebel comes from the Latin word rebellis, which was formed from re- (meaning 'again' or 'back') and bellum (meaning 'war'). In ancient Rome, a rebellis was someone who had been conquered but started a war again — that is, a person who resumed fighting after being defeated. The idea of 'starting over' faded over time, and today rebel simply means anyone who fights against existing authority or refuses to follow the rules.

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rebel

rebel — noun

1. a person engaged in armed opposition to the government that rules their country.

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. a person who refuses to follow accepted rules, customs, or standards of behaviou

Usage Note

rebel — verb

1. to use force or take up arms against the government of one's own country.

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. to deliberately not follow rules or the instructions of people who have power ov

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. to feel or show strong opposition to a situation, emotion, or proposal, especial

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

rebel — adjective

1. describing people, groups, or areas that are fighting against the government of

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. connected with or belonging to a group of people who oppose the government.

Usage Note

3. refusing to obey rules or follow the usual standards of behaviour expected by ot

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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