revolutionary

1 of 2

adjective

rev·​o·​lu·​tion·​ary ˌre-və-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce revolutionary (audio)
Synonyms of revolutionarynext
1
a
: of, relating to, or constituting a revolution
revolutionary war
b
: tending to or promoting revolution
a revolutionary movement/leader
c
: constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change
a revolutionary new product
2
Revolutionary : of or relating to the American Revolution or to the period in which it occurred
revolutionarily adverb
revolutionariness noun

revolutionary

2 of 2

noun

plural revolutionaries
1
: one engaged in a revolution
2
: an advocate or adherent of revolutionary doctrines

Examples of revolutionary in a Sentence

Adjective a candidate with a lot of crazy, revolutionary ideas that no one seems to be going for revolutionary forces that were soundly defeated before reaching the capital Noun after the collapse of the Russian monarchy, the moderate socialists briefly governed until being overthrown by the Bolshevik revolutionaries at first the government was not worried about this small band of unarmed revolutionaries
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
And for the past quarter-century it’s done just that, again and again, making this revolutionary replication of the early universe seem almost routine. Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026 Using tiny bags as organizers is not a revolutionary concept, but unlike most practical purchases, these are a joy to shop for. Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
In this topsy-turvy world, Erdoğan was the revolutionary, and the representatives of leftist institutions and unions were the rotten elites. Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026 As his health dwindled, Proust took a particular interest in the case of an Irish revolutionary that aroused much public sympathy in France and elsewhere during the War of Independence. Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for revolutionary

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

revolution + -ary entry 2

Noun

revolution + -ary entry 1, after French révolutionnaire

First Known Use

Adjective

1718, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of revolutionary was in 1718

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Revolutionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revolutionary. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

revolutionary

adjective
rev·​o·​lu·​tion·​ary
ˌrev-ə-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē
1
a
: of, relating to, or involving a revolution
revolutionary war
b
: favoring revolution
c
: being or bringing about a big or important change
a revolutionary new product
2
capitalized : of or relating to the American Revolution
revolutionary noun

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