rebelliousre‧bel‧lious /rɪˈbeljəs/ ●○○ adjective 
rebellious teenagers He’s always had a rebellious streak (=a tendency to rebel).2fighting against the government of your own country: rebellious minorities—rebelliously adverb—rebelliousness noun [uncountable]
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- rebellious behavior
- Aristide, the elected president, was ousted by rebellious soldiers.
- Maria was headstrong and rebellious.
- Such extremist groups may well attract rebellious teenagers.
- the rebellious daughter of a military man
- And here was some one else stealing his rebellious thunder.
- Black used to be daring, but now color is more rebellious because it is more out of the norm.
- Not so much because he was stubborn or rebellious, because he really is neither.
- This example conveniently makes the point that it is not only women who are vulnerable to the attentions of these rebellious spirits.
- When Sheridan discovers that her husband has been cheating on her, she turns to the troubled and rebellious Bellows.
- When the rebellious streak appeared in her life it was tolerated, but it was not tolerated in her literary personality.
Longman Language Activatorsomeone who refuses to obey people, rules, laws etc
someone, especially a child, who is disobedient does not do what he or she is told to do by a parent, teacher etc: · Lee stood before her like a disobedient schoolboy.· She said that if we were disobedient she would send us home immediately.
not obeying people in authority and showing that you have no respect for them: · Her reply was clear and defiant.· Defiant party members openly challenged the leadership.defiant of somebody/something: · Demonstrators became increasingly defiant of police controls.
someone, especially a young person, who is rebellious deliberately disobeys people in authority such as their parents or teachers: · Such extremist groups may well attract rebellious teenagers.· Maria was headstrong and rebellious.
someone, especially a young person, who behaves in a completely different way from the way people are expected to behave by society and by people in authority: · In his black leather jacket and chains he looked every inch the young rebel.· She was a rebel, who horrified her family by rejecting a promising career in law to become an actor.
WORD SETSagitate, verbagitation, nounagitator, nounbipartisan, adjectivebipartite, adjectivebloc, nounBolshevik, nouncapitalism, nouncentrist, adjectivecoalition, nouncommie, nouncommunism, nouncommunist, nouncommunist, adjectiveCon, confederacy, nounconfederate, nounconfederation, nouncongress, nounconservatism, nounDem., disloyal, adjectivedissident, noundivide, verbdivisive, adjectivefascism, nounfascist, nounfederal, adjectivefederate, verbfederation, nounfront, nounginger group, nounhegemony, nounheterodox, adjectiveIndependent, nouninfighting, nouninterest group, nounIRA, nounIron Curtain, the, Lab, Labour, nounleftie, nounleftist, adjectiveleft-of-centre, adjectiveleft-wing, adjectivelefty, nounLib Dem, nounLiberal, nounLiberal Democrats, nounLiberal Party, loyalist, nounLuddite, nounmachine, nounmajority leader, nounminority leader, nounmoderate, adjectivemoderate, nounmonarchist, nounmovement, nounnationalism, nounnationalist, adjectivenationalist, nounNazi, nounneutral, adjectivenon-partisan, adjectivepalace revolution, nounparamilitary, adjectivepartisan, adjectivepartisan, nounparty, nounparty political, adjectiveparty politics, nounpinko, nounpro-, prefixpro-choice, adjectiveR, rabble-rousing, nounradical, nounrally, nounreactionary, adjectiverealign, verbrebel, nounrebellion, nounrebellious, adjectivered, adjectivered, nounrepublican, nounrevolt, nounrevolt, verbrevolutionary, adjectiverevolutionary, nounrightist, adjectiveright-of-centre, adjectiveright-wing, adjectiveroyalist, nounseparatist, nounspecial interest group, nounsplinter group, nounsplit, verbsubcommittee, nounsubversion, nounsuffragette, nounsympathizer, nounsympathy, nountendency, nounTory, nounTrotskyite, nountrue-blue, adjectiveUnionist, nounuprising, nounWhig, nounwing, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He’s always had a rebellious streak (=a tendency to rebel).COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
1deliberately not obeying people in authority or rules of behaviour: He’s always had a rebellious streak (=a tendency to rebel).· Long hair swept up into a high chignon for classic glamour displays a rebellious streak!.· When the rebellious streak appeared in her life it was tolerated, but it was not tolerated in her literary personality.· Not surprisingly, the rebellious streak in his nature surfaced, and he started to behave with studied rudeness.· However, even at kindergarten his rebellious streak was showing and at the age of five or six he was playing truant.· The edgy, rebellious streak in his character could only be intensified by his somewhat beleaguered isolation in this respect.· Young people with curiosity and a rebellious streak are only too ready to experiment.
rebellious teenagers He’s always had a rebellious streak (=a tendency to rebel).2fighting against the government of your own country: rebellious minorities—rebelliously adverb—rebelliousness noun [uncountable]