CONTUMACIOUS Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

contumacious

adjective

ˌkän-tü-ˈmā-shəs

Definition of contumacious

as in rebellious

given to resisting authority or another's control the judge threatened to charge the contumacious witness with contempt of court

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for contumacious

Adjective

Andrew Garfield is not just a rebellious peasant in his upcoming action period drama.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Green and Perry starred alongside one another on the hit Fox series, in which Green portrayed the aspiring musician David Silver while Perry starred as the rebellious Dylan McKay, for 10 years from 1990 to 2000.

— Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of rebellious

Adjective

Efforts to bring the outbreak under control — from limited public gatherings to social distancing and airport closures — have disrupted life in the six provinces, particularly Ituri, which also has been ravaged by rebel violence.

— Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Efforts to bring the outbreak under control — from limited public gatherings to social distancing and airport closures — have disrupted life in the six affected provinces, particularly Ituri, which has been ravaged by rebel violence.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of rebel

Adjective

Captured after years on the run and sentenced to life in 2017, Mladic remained defiant and unrepentant, still revered by some Serbs as a nationalist hero.

— Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Bringing it on board with the White House’s latest effort to subdue an Iranian leadership stubbornly defiant after almost six months of war, however, is an extremely tall order.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of defiant

Adjective

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, citizenship may be revoked if it was illegally procured or obtained through the concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.

— Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
The emotional Moon moves through your 10th House of Career and squares the willful Sun in your 1st House of Identity.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of willful

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controverts

contumacious

contumacy

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“Contumacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contumacious. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of contumacious

adjective

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