rebels
Those who revolt
Rebels are those who resist or fight against authority, government, or convention.
The word works as noun and verb: The rebels seized the capital; She rebels against every rule.
A rebel may be a revolutionary or simply someone who refuses to conform: a rebel without a cause.
The stress shifts—REbel for the noun, reBEL for the verb.
Irregular combatants, unconventional warfare
- revolutionariesThose seeking systemic overthrow
- insurrectionistsViolent regime challengers
- militantsAggressive advocates for causes
- partisansStaunch factional supporters
fighters · mutineers · separatists · combatants · mujahideen · fedayeen · irregulars · freedom fighters
Violent governmental overthrow
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- mutinyRevolt against authority
- coupAbrupt seizure of power
overthrow · riot · upheaval · unrest · resistance · barricades · turmoil · civil war
Refusal to follow orders
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- nonconformityRejection of prevailing norms
- recalcitranceStubborn refusal to obey
- willfulnessIntentional resistance to direction
obstinacy · contrariness · unruliness · stubbornness · noncompliance · intractability · opposition · refusal
Peaceful refusal to obey
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- boycottOrganized economic protest
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
strike · sit-in · demonstration · march · rally · underground · blockade · picketing
Political objectors
- objectorsPeople who formally disagree
- protestersThose publicly opposing something
- nonconformistsThose defying established customs
- contrariansHabitual position opposers
iconoclasts · heretics · critics · refuseniks · skeptics · agitators · troublemakers · malcontents
guerrillas
Irregular combatants, unconventional warfare
- revolutionariesThose seeking systemic overthrow
- insurrectionistsViolent regime challengers
- militantsAggressive advocates for causes
partisans · fighters · mutineers · separatists · combatants · mujahideen · fedayeen · irregulars · freedom fighters · paramilitaries
revolution
Violent governmental overthrow
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- mutinyRevolt against authority
coup · overthrow · riot · upheaval · unrest · resistance · barricades · turmoil · civil war · anarchy
disobedience
Refusal to follow orders
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- nonconformityRejection of prevailing norms
- recalcitranceStubborn refusal to obey
willfulness · obstinacy · contrariness · unruliness · stubbornness · noncompliance · intractability · opposition · refusal · resistance
civil disobedience
Peaceful refusal to obey
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- boycottOrganized economic protest
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
obstruction · strike · sit-in · demonstration · march · rally · underground · blockade · picketing · noncompliance
dissidents
Political objectors
- objectorsPeople who formally disagree
- protestersThose publicly opposing something
- nonconformistsThose defying established customs
contrarians · iconoclasts · heretics · critics · refuseniks · skeptics · agitators · troublemakers · malcontents · rabble-rousers
- Revolutionrevolt, uprising, insurrection, overthrow, revolutionaries
- armed forcesarmy, military, soldiers, troops, marines
- Nonconformistsnonconformist, misfits, misfit, free spirits, free spirit
- notablesleaders, celebrities, dignitary, rulers, VIPs
- troublemakerstroublemaker, rascals, delinquents, imps, brats
- dissidentsdissident, dissidents, dissenter, Sakharov, activist
rebelsloyalists
Faithful to established authority
government forces · royalists · establishment · incumbents · counterrevolutionaries
rebelsconformists
Those obeying social norms
traditionalists · conventionalists · followers · squares · sheep
rebelsobeys
Follows commands given
subjects · subordinates · servants · lackeys · bootlickers
- rebellious spiritDisposition against compliance
- rebel without a causeDefiant person lacking motive
- rebel yellsFierce shouts of insurgents
- teenage rebellionAdolescent resistance to authority
- teen rebellionAdolescent resistance to authority
- rebellious teenagerAuthority-resisting young person
rebel, rebellion, rebellious, rebelling, rebelled, rebelliousness, rebelliously