INSURGENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does insurgent mean? 

• INSURGENT (noun)
  The noun INSURGENT has 2 senses:

1. a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)

2. a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

  Familiarity information: INSURGENT used as a noun is rare.

• INSURGENT (adjective)
  The adjective INSURGENT has 1 sense:

1. in opposition to a civil authority or government

  Familiarity information: INSURGENT used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INSURGENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

freedom fighter; insurgent; insurrectionist; rebel

Hypernyms ("insurgent" is a kind of...):

crusader; meliorist; reformer; reformist; social reformer (a disputant who advocates reform)

revolutionary; revolutionist; subversive; subverter (a radical supporter of political or social revolution)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "insurgent"):

mutineer (someone who is openly rebellious and refuses to obey authorities (especially seamen or soldiers))

Young Turk (a member of one or more of the insurgent groups in Turkey in the late 19th century who rebelled against the absolutism of Ottoman rule)

Instance hyponyms:

Nat Turner; Turner (United States slave and insurrectionist who in 1831 led a rebellion of slaves in Virginia; he was captured and executed (1800-1831))

Denmark Vesey; Vesey (United States freed slave and insurrectionist in South Carolina who was involved in planning an uprising of slaves and was hanged (1767-1822))

Sir William Wallace; Wallace (Scottish insurgent who led the resistance to Edward I; in 1297 he gained control of Scotland briefly until Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated Wallace and subsequently executed him (1270-1305))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

guerilla; guerrilla; insurgent; irregular

Hypernyms ("insurgent" is a kind of...):

warrior (someone engaged in or experienced in warfare)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "insurgent"):

Maquis; Maquisard (a guerrilla fighter in the French underground in World War II)

urban guerrilla (a guerrilla who fights only in cities and towns)

Holonyms ("insurgent" is a member of...):

guerilla force; guerrilla force (an irregular armed force that fights by sabotage and harassment; often rural and organized in large groups)

• INSURGENT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In opposition to a civil authority or government

Synonyms:

insurgent; seditious; subversive

Similar:

disloyal (deserting your allegiance or duty to leader or cause or principle)

Derivation:

insurgency (an organized rebellion aimed at overthrowing a constituted government through the use of subversion and armed conflict)

 Context examples 

And this again, that that insurgent horror was knit to him closer than a wife, closer than an eye; lay caged in his flesh, where he heard it mutter and felt it struggle to be born; and at every hour of weakness, and in the confidence of slumber, prevailed against him, and deposed him out of life.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)