insurgent
Americannoun
-
a person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, especially a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its laws; rebel.
-
a member of a section of a political party that revolts against the methods or policies of the party.
adjective
-
of or characteristic of an insurgent or insurgents.
- Synonyms:
- mutinous, revolutionary, rebellious
-
surging or rushing in.
The insurgent waves battered the shore.
adjective
noun
-
a person who takes part in an uprising or rebellion; insurrectionist
-
international law a person or group that rises in revolt against an established government or authority but whose conduct does not amount to belligerency
Other Word Forms
- insurgency noun
Etymology
Origin of insurgent
1755–65; < Latin insurgent- (stem of insurgēns ) present participle of insurgere to get up, ascend, rebel. See in- 2, surge, -ent
Explanation
An insurgent is a rebel or a revolutionary, someone who takes up arms against the authorities. Insurgent is from the Latin word “insurgentem,” literally meaning “to rise against,” so think of an insurgent as a fighter who rises against the people in power. Often insurgents are considered terrorists because they use violence to intimidate people.
Vocabulary lists containing insurgent
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On 20 October 2012, Roberts-Smith – by then a patrol commander – was sent into Syachow village to look for an insurgent dubbed "Objective Pine".
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
When “SNL” made its debut in 1975, its insurgent approach to comedy was influenced by British acts of the time, especially Monty Python.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
Among the true believers was someone who arrived late that day: L.A.’s original democratic socialist insurgent, Nithya Raman.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026
"They are fragmented, and they have no leadership," she added of the insurgent groups.
From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025
From time to time, Mammy showed her the old, crumpled newspaper clippings in it, and pamphlets that Ahmad had managed to collect from insurgent groups and resistance organizations headquartered in Pakistan.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
