Rebel vs rebel

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Grammarist

Rebel and rebel are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words rebel and rebel, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences.

Rebel (ruh BELL) is a verb that means to rise up in opposition to an authority, to resist or protest against authority. One may rebel against a government, corporation, or school. Children are often said to rebel against their parents when they challenge their authority, especially in the teen years. The verb rebel is derived from the Latin word rebellare, which means to revolt. Related words are rebels, rebelled, rebelling.

Rebel (REH bull) is a noun that means someone who is rising up in opposition to an authority. Rebel is also used as an adjective. In the United States, southerners who seceded from the Union during the Civil War to form the Confederacy were called rebels. The noun/adjective rebel is derived from the Latin word rebellis.

Examples

The plot of “Cuties” centres on an 11-year-old Muslim girl who “starts to rebel against her conservative family’s traditions when she becomes fascinated with a fee-spirited dance crew,” according to Netflix. (Reuters)

Police rebel against 7,000 infections and 40-peso-an-hour overtime (The Buenos Aires Times)

I bring all this up to mention how when it comes to being a journalist, being a rebel is not my thing. (The Post Bulletin)

The United States, United Kingdom and Norway – known as the Troika countries – welcomed on Monday the conclusion of an agreement to end the war in Sudan and called on the recalcitrant rebel leaders to join the ongoing efforts for peace and stability in Sudan and the region. (The Sudan Tribune)