ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rebellion

n. C / U
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ɹɪˈbɛɫjən// UK //ɹɪbˈɛliən// re·bel·lion

n. an organized fight against people in power, like a government or a boss. It can also mean refusing to follow rules because you want to show you are independent.

n. an act of armed resistance or violent opposition toward an established government or ruler. It may also refer to a non-violent but open defiance of authority or convention.


SIMPLE

The soldiers started a rebellion against the king.

CONTEXTUAL

The high school students staged a small rebellion by refusing to wear their uniforms for a week.

COMPLEX

Historians often debate whether the uprising was a spontaneous rebellion born of hunger or a calculated political move orchestrated by the exiled nobility.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English rebellioun, rebellion, from Old French rebellion, from Latin rebelliō. Equivalent for rebel + -ion.

Usage

Often used with the prepositions 'against' or 'in' ('in rebellion').

© 2026 English Reference