great rebellion: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Historical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “great rebellion” mean?
A significant, widespread, and organized armed uprising against a government or ruling authority.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A significant, widespread, and organized armed uprising against a government or ruling authority.
Can refer to any major act of defiance or resistance against established norms or authority, not necessarily political or violent.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK historical context, 'The Great Rebellion' commonly refers to the English Civil War (1642–1651). In US historical context, it's less commonly used but could refer to events like Bacon's Rebellion (1676) or be used academically.
Connotations
UK: Strong historical, monarchical, and parliamentary connotations. US: Can have a more generic or revolutionary connotation.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK historical discourse; in US, more frequent in academic or comparative contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “great rebellion” in a Sentence
The Great Rebellion [of + PLACE/PEOPLE] (against + AUTHORITY)The + ADJECTIVE + Great RebellionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “great rebellion” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The colonists sought to great-rebel against the crown. (Note: Hyphenated verb form is archaic/rare)
American English
- N/A as a standard verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The great-rebellion period is well documented. (Historical compound adjective)
American English
- They studied great-rebellion tactics. (Historical compound adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Metaphorically: 'The new policy sparked a great rebellion among the senior staff.'
Academic
Common in history and political science: 'The economic causes of the Great Rebellion are multifaceted.'
Everyday
Uncommon except in metaphorical or exaggerated use: 'My toddler's refusal to eat vegetables is a great rebellion.'
Technical
Used in historiography to classify specific historical periods of conflict.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great rebellion”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “great rebellion”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great rebellion”
- Using 'great rebellion' for small protests (overstatement).
- Incorrect capitalization when not a proper noun (e.g., 'the country faced a Great Rebellion').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, only when it functions as a proper noun referring to a specific historical event (e.g., the Great Rebellion). When used generically, it is lowercase (e.g., 'a great rebellion').
The adjective 'great' emphasizes the scale, impact, and historical significance of the rebellion, distinguishing it from smaller, less consequential uprisings.
Yes, but it is relatively rare and typically used metaphorically or for dramatic effect to describe a major challenge to authority within an organization or system.
'Insurrection' or 'major uprising' are common neutral synonyms. 'Revolution' is a stronger synonym implying a successful overthrow and systemic change.
A significant, widespread, and organized armed uprising against a government or ruling authority.
Great rebellion is usually formal, historical, academic in register.
Great rebellion: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt rɪˈbeljən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt rɪˈbeljən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He has a great rebellion in his heart (metaphorical for strong defiance).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a GREAT (huge) number of REBELS (people fighting authority) acting together in ION (action).
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS ORDER / REBELLION IS DISEASE or FIRE (e.g., 'stamp out the rebellion', 'the rebellion spread').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'the Great Rebellion' most specifically used?