rev·o·lu·tion·ary
ˌre-və-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē 
1
a
: of, relating to, or constituting a revolution
revolutionary war
b
: tending to or promoting revolution
c
: constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change
a revolutionary new product
2
capitalized
: of or relating to the American Revolution or to the period in which it occurred
plural revolutionaries
1
: one engaged in a revolution
2
: an advocate or adherent of revolutionary doctrines
Synonyms
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
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2024
Simmons’s refusal to make fat people invisible in exercise environments was revolutionary, but only up to a point.
—Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The Atlantic, 16 July 2024
Robert Rubsam, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
But adults who know better should be telling the misguided faux revolutionaries at Columbia and elsewhere that hate speech isn’t the same thing as free speech, that there’s a difference between being antisemitic and anti-war, that calling for violence isn’t peaceful protest.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 1 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for revolutionary 
Adjective
One major benefit of rapidly evolving technology is the revolutionary shift to universal magnetic charging.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2024
Simmons’s refusal to make fat people invisible in exercise environments was revolutionary, but only up to a point.
—Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The Atlantic, 16 July 2024
Noun
Sachs’s Vienna is a vibrant and petty place, full of insecure authorities and overconfident revolutionaries seeking to overturn everything established.
—Robert Rubsam, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
But adults who know better should be telling the misguided faux revolutionaries at Columbia and elsewhere that hate speech isn’t the same thing as free speech, that there’s a difference between being antisemitic and anti-war, that calling for violence isn’t peaceful protest.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 1 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for revolutionary
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'revolutionary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near revolutionary
Cite this Entry
“Revolutionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revolutionary. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share