rebelliousness
Spirit of defiance
Rebelliousness is the quality of resisting authority or convention.
It suggests an active disposition toward defiance rather than mere disobedience—someone with rebelliousness doesn't just break rules but seems driven to challenge them: Her rebelliousness made her a difficult student but an effective activist.
The word can carry admiration or disapproval depending on context.
Open resistance to authority
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- noncomplianceFailure to follow requirements
opposition · dissent · refusal · recalcitrance · contrariness · obstinacy · stubbornness · willfulness
Untamed, uncontrolled state
- rowdinessNoisy, disorderly behavior
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- uncontrollabilityImpossible to restrain
- indisciplineLack of self-control
disorderliness · boisterousness · raucousness · lawlessness · chaos · turbulence · obstreperous · rambunctiousness
Violent governmental overthrow
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- mutinyRevolt against authority
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
coup · guerrilla · insurgent · revolutionary · anarchist · subversive · dissident · separatist
Rejection of prevailing norms
- free-thinkingIndependently minded
- iconoclasmAttacking revered traditions
- individualismDoctrine of personal independence
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
independence · self-expression · unorthodoxy · contrarianism · bohemianism · counterculture · anti-establishment · punk
Direct effort for reform
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- marchRhythmic group walk
- rallyGathering for a cause
- sit-inProtest by remaining seated
boycott · strike · picketing · occupation · civil disobedience · petition · placard · banner
defiance
Open resistance to authority
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
noncompliance · opposition · dissent · refusal · recalcitrance · contrariness · obstinacy · stubbornness · willfulness · contumacy
wildness
Untamed, uncontrolled state
- rowdinessNoisy, disorderly behavior
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- uncontrollabilityImpossible to restrain
indiscipline · disorderliness · boisterousness · raucousness · lawlessness · chaos · turbulence · obstreperous · rambunctiousness · waywardness
revolution
Violent governmental overthrow
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- mutinyRevolt against authority
revolt · coup · guerrilla · insurgent · revolutionary · anarchist · subversive · dissident · separatist · militant
nonconformity
Rejection of prevailing norms
- free-thinkingIndependently minded
- iconoclasmAttacking revered traditions
- individualismDoctrine of personal independence
autonomy · independence · self-expression · unorthodoxy · contrarianism · bohemianism · counterculture · anti-establishment · punk · originality
activism
Direct effort for reform
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- marchRhythmic group walk
- rallyGathering for a cause
sit-in · boycott · strike · picketing · occupation · civil disobedience · petition · placard · banner · chant
- traitshonesty, ambitious, brave, calm, kindness
- unrulinessmisbehavior, misconduct, disobedience, defiance, insubordination
- rebellious traitsdefiance, stubbornness, disobedience, willfulness, obstinacy
- Adlerian psychologyinferiority complex, superiority complex, birth order, lifestyle, encouragement
- angeranger, rage, fury, wrath, ire
- attitudespositive, negative, ambition, apathy, curiosity
rebelliousnessobedience
Compliance with authority
compliance · submission · docility · subservience · deference
rebelliousnesstractability
Readiness to be guided
tractableness · amenability · biddability · trainability · manageability
rebelliousnessconformity
Adherence to norms
conventionality · orthodoxy · traditionalism · rule-following · conformism
rebel, rebellion, antebellum, rebellious, rebels, belligerent, rebelling, bellicose, rebelled