Word
rebellious
Phoneticsre·bel·lious, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹəˈbɛɫjəs/
UK/ɹɪbˈɛlɪəs/
Definition
adj. unwilling to obey rules or follow the orders of people in power. You use this to describe someone who fights against authority or traditional ways of doing things.
adj. showing a desire to resist authority, control, or convention. Often used to describe adolescent behavior or political opposition.
Examples
“The rebellious teenager refused to follow the school's dress code.”
“The company's success was built on a rebellious spirit that challenged every established rule in the industry.”
“Historians often debate whether the uprising was a truly rebellious movement aimed at systemic change or merely a spontaneous reaction to temporary food shortages.”
Examples
simple
“The rebellious teenager refused to follow the school's dress code.”
contextual
“The company's success was built on a rebellious spirit that challenged every established rule in the industry.”
complex
“Historians often debate whether the uprising was a truly rebellious movement aimed at systemic change or merely a spontaneous reaction to temporary food shortages.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after linking verbs like 'become' or 'remain'.
Real-World Examples
“Set in 1982, Fallout is a fictionalised account of the Greenham Common protest as seen through the eyes of a rebellious 15-year-old girl.” “Lewis’s name always featured in lists of Labour’s most rebellious MPs.” Etymology
From Middle English rebellious; equivalent to rebel + -ious.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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