From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrebelliousre‧bel‧lious /rɪˈbeljəs/ ●○○ adjective 1 DISOBEYdeliberately not obeying people in authority or rules of behaviour rebellious teenagers He’s always had a rebellious streak (=a tendency to rebel).2 PPGPMfighting against the government of your own country rebellious minorities —rebelliously adverb —rebelliousness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
rebellious• Maria was headstrong and rebellious.• Not so much because he was stubborn or rebellious, because he really is neither.• Black used to be daring, but now color is more rebellious because it is more out of the norm.• rebellious behavior• When Sheridan discovers that her husband has been cheating on her, she turns to the troubled and rebellious Bellows.• the rebellious daughter of a military man• Aristide, the elected president, was ousted by rebellious soldiers.• This example conveniently makes the point that it is not only women who are vulnerable to the attentions of these rebellious spirits.• When the rebellious streak appeared in her life it was tolerated, but it was not tolerated in her literary personality.• Such extremist groups may well attract rebellious teenagers.• And here was some one else stealing his rebellious thunder.rebellious streak• 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.• Young people with curiosity and a rebellious streak are only too ready to experiment.• The edgy, rebellious streak in his character could only be intensified by his somewhat beleaguered isolation in this respect.• 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. 