rebellious

[ri-bel-yuh s] /rɪˈbɛl yəs/

adjective

defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to rebel.

pertaining to or characteristic of rebels or rebellion.

(of things) resisting treatment; refractory.

Origin

1400-50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin rebelliōsus, equivalent to Latin rebelli(ō) rebellion + -ōsus -ous

Related forms

rebelliously, adverb

rebelliousness, noun

half-rebellious, adjective

half-rebelliously, adverb

half-rebelliousness, noun

nonrebellious, adjective

nonrebelliously, adverb

nonrebelliousness, noun

quasi-rebellious, adjective

quasi-rebelliously, adverb

semirebellious, adjective

semirebelliously, adverb

semirebelliousness, noun

unrebellious, adjective

unrebelliously, adverb

unrebelliousness, noun

Synonyms

1. defiant, insurgent, mutinous, seditious, rebel, refractory, disobedient, contumacious.

Examples from the web for rebellious

Let him be dangerous-he will soon grow out of this rebellious stage with a little nurturing.
It was her rebellious nature that's made her such an icon.
Speed of light in a vacuum is still at c, no matter what those rebellious neutrinos do.
Its purpose is to maintain tight control over a potentially rebellious colony, and to eliminate all significant opposition.
Nearby, mud-brick battlements hide the encampments of rebellious tribal sheikhs, some with their own artillery pieces.
We will always need postmodernists or their rebellious equivalents.
But the troops have become troublesome, even rebellious, of late.
Their high-handed, sometimes violent behaviour stokes rebellious feelings.
It lacks, for instance, a concise outline of how the movement began and how it turned rebellious.
Adolescents who start smoking do so partly because of the rebellious aura attached to it.

British Dictionary definitions for rebellious

/rɪˈbɛljəs/

adjective

showing a tendency towards rebellion

(of a problem, etc) difficult to overcome; refractory

Derived Forms

rebelliously, adverb
rebelliousness, noun

Word Origin and History for rebellious

adj.

early 15c., from Latin rebellis (see rebel (adj.)) + -ous. Related: Rebelliously; rebelliousness.