insurgent

American  

[in-sur-juhnt] / ɪnˈsɜr dʒənt /

noun

• insurgents
  plural

1. 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.

2. a member of a section of a political party that revolts against the methods or policies of the party.

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adjective

1. of or characteristic of an insurgent or insurgents.

   Synonyms:

   mutinous, revolutionary, rebellious

2. surging or rushing in.

   The insurgent waves battered the shore.

insurgent British  

/ ɪnˈsɜːdʒənt /

adjective

1. rebellious or in revolt, as against a government in power or the civil authorities

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noun

1. a person who takes part in an uprising or rebellion; insurrectionist

2. 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

Derived Forms

• insurgency
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• insurgents
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

insurgent insurgents

“It also claimed that Bass had won support from a vast majority of voters who supported insurgent Republican Spencer Pratt in the primary election.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

One activist has dedicated herself to extracting them from insurgent groups, and bringing them to a refuge she has made in an old house in Mae Sot, where she tries to get them work experience.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

It seemed a sure thing a few weeks ago that Abdul El-Sayed, the insurgent progressive challenger in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, was leading the race going away.

From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2026

But Hassan, an insurgent dramatist with a lyrical voice like no other, is shaking up the art form in ways that can’t be ignored.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

“Sadly, the bridge is already under insurgent control due to questionable strategizing by my bereft cohort.”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Thanat, who is also National Intelligence Agency director, said insurgents were also testing the readiness of security forces.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

Both Warsaw and Moscow have criticised the trend, seeing the insurgents as war criminals and Nazi collaborators.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

It includes podcasters, streamers, pundits, operatives and elected officials, many of whom began as scrappy insurgents and now command large audiences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

Ministers told Sir Keir the government needed to act more like insurgents and govern differently, and the prime minister accepted he needed to change.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

Arthur called off the hunt, judged accurately that the insurgents were demoralized, and allowed his men to sleep in comfort on their arms, with few but careful sentries.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• demonstrator
• mutineer
• radical
• revolutionary
• rioter