counterrevolution

noun

coun·​ter·​rev·​o·​lu·​tion ˌkau̇n-tər-ˌre-və-ˈlü-shən How to pronounce counterrevolution (audio)
ˌkau̇n-tə-
1
: a revolution directed toward overthrowing a government or social system established by a previous revolution
2
: a movement to counteract revolutionary trends
counterrevolutionary adjective or noun

Examples of counterrevolution in a Sentence

The leader vowed to stop any attempt at counterrevolution. Soldiers loyal to the President led the counterrevolution.
Recent Examples on the Web But with Iraq battered, Syria in chaos, and a stagnant Egypt being whipsawed by revolution and counterrevolution, the way was clear for an ambitious, headstrong, and ruthless young Saudi prince to stake his country’s claim to Arab leadership. Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019 Marker’s Grin Without a Cat, an essay-film about revolution and counterrevolution in the Sixties, is almost as long as The Sorrow and the Pity but denser and more fast-moving. Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2022 The Shadow of Bashir Many Sudanese see the coup as a counterrevolution—a return to the days of Sudan’s longtime strongman president, Omar al-Bashir. Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2021 In 1894, a counterrevolution failed and Liliuokalani was arrested. Time, 17 Aug. 2023 Nicaragua spent most of the 20th century suffering through oppressive dictators, revolutions, counterrevolutions, a 10-year civil war, and a devastating earthquake. Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2023 The rest of the movie is about the Barbies deploying their political organizing skills and the Kens’ underdeveloped sense of self-awareness to successfully stage a counterrevolution and get their Dreamhouses back. Matt Pearce, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2023 They were sent for training in counterrevolution in Okinawa, Japan, and in Saipan, a U.S.-controlled island in the Western Pacific. Jane Perlez, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023 Dir: Patricio Guzmán A documentary series released in three parts from 1975 to 1979, chronicling the political repression and counterrevolution after the military coup d’état against the Allende government. The New Republic, 22 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'counterrevolution.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterrevolution was in 1793

Dictionary Entries Near counterrevolution

Cite this Entry

“Counterrevolution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterrevolution. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

counterrevolution

noun
coun·​ter·​rev·​o·​lu·​tion ˌkau̇nt-ə(r)-ˌrev-ə-ˈlü-shən How to pronounce counterrevolution (audio)
: a revolution intended to overthrow a government established by an earlier revolution
counterrevolutionary adjective or noun
counterrevolutionist
-ˈlü-sh(ə-)nəst
noun

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