riot

ri·ot | \ ˈrī-ət

Definition of riot

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a violent public disorder specifically : a tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons assembled together and acting with a common intent

b : public violence, tumult, or disorder

2 : a random or disorderly profusion the woods were a riot of color

3 : one that is wildly amusing the new comedy is a riot

4 archaic

a : profligate behavior : debauchery

b : unrestrained revelry

c : noise, uproar, or disturbance made by revelers

riot

verb

rioted; rioting; riots

Definition of riot (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to create or engage in a riot

2 : to indulge in revelry or wantonness

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Examples of riot in a Sentence

Noun The news about the election caused a riot in the city. A lot of property was damaged in the recent riots. The woods are a riot of color in the autumn. The movie was an absolute riot. Verb Students rioted after their team lost the football game.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Fifteen people have so far been accused of inciting a riot or of violence against the police during the protests. — Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, "A Summer of Unprecedented Brutality in Moscow," 6 Sep. 2019 Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus have devised an efficient, if painstaking, way to untangle a riot of more than 1,000 long neurons inside a mouse’s head. — Scientific American, "Test Pilot Geese, Planetary Wrecking Balls and Super AI Vision: The Week’s Best Science GIFs," 6 Sep. 2019 The dish is a riot of colors, flavors and textures that’s hard to corral. — Andrea Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, "Hu tieu lowdown: The Chinese-Vietnamese-Cambodian noodles you need to know better," 4 Sep. 2019 Several shops and businesses were looted and burned down in a riots that broke out in a neighborhood in Johannesburg on Sunday, according to the South African police. — Bukola Adebayo, CNN, "South African president calls for arrest of those involved in xenophobic attacks," 3 Sep. 2019 Twitter is basically about to throw a riot over this dude's hair. — Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, "Harry Styles Fans Are Mourning the Loss of His Long, Curly Hair," 3 Sep. 2019 Behind the bar in the taproom is a riot of colorful cacti, all of them painted with surprising finesse and attention to detail. — Paul Hodgins, Daily Pilot, "Adult Beverages: Gunwhale Ales combines beer and art at new location," 3 Sep. 2019 The attack kicked off a riot between black and white inmates on the Folsom yard, which lasted roughly 20 minutes, according to the complaint. — Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, "‘Build an army’: Aryan Brotherhood leaders attempted to rule over all white California prison gangs, feds say," 31 Aug. 2019 Hunt himself was a figure of particular concern, in part because he’d been involved in a demonstration that deteriorated into a riot three years before. — Christopher J. Scalia, National Review, "From England in 1819 to Hong Kong in 2019," 16 Aug. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Fans of the Olimpia and Motagua football teams, bitter local opponents, rioted outside Tegucigalpa’s National Stadium before the 'Honduran Superclásico'. — SI.com, "Former Celtic Player Emilio Izaguirre Among 10 Injured as 3 Die in Honduras Derby Riots," 18 Aug. 2019 The Stonewall riot 50 years ago is seen to have triggered the gay rights movement. — Brian T. Allen, National Review, "Time for a Riot: Camp Fashion at the Met, and a Real Riot at the Stonewall," 31 Aug. 2019 One of the windows offers a view of her garden below, the beds and borders rioting with colorful annuals and perennials. — Deborah Hornblow, courant.com, "Passionate Pursuits: Even working full-time, these people are seriously devoted to their after-hours projects," 22 July 2019 About 25 inmates rioted at a prison in Monterey County on Monday evening, resulting in four injuries, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a release. — Alexa Díaz, latimes.com, "Prison riot involving about 25 inmates ends with 4 being stabbed," 10 July 2019 The initiative never progressed past the initial stages because the government feared that conservative and religious groups would riot. — Brianna Holt, Quartz, "A new French law could offer IVF for unmarried women and lesbians," 8 Aug. 2019 When 30 million salmon died in 2016, fisherman on the island of Chiloe rioted for weeks as dead clams washed up. — Los Angeles Times, "Data rigging is latest Chile salmon farm scandal," 4 Aug. 2019 Thousands of protesters rioted in the streets as Humphrey was nominated. — Rachel Caufield, The Conversation, "How did the presidential campaign get to be so long?," 30 July 2019 In the aftermath of Poussey’s death, Litchfield inmates rioted, demanding justice. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Prescience of Orange Is the New Black," 25 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'riot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

25 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for riot

The first known use of riot was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for riot

riot

noun

English Language Learners Definition of riot

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a situation in which a large group of people behave in a violent and uncontrolled way

: a place that is filled with something

informal : someone or something that is very funny

riot

verb

English Language Learners Definition of riot (Entry 2 of 2)

of a group of people : to behave in a violent and uncontrolled way

See the full definition for riot in the English Language Learners Dictionary

riot

noun

ri·ot | \ ˈrī-ət

Kids Definition of riot

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : violent and uncontrolled public behavior by a group of people The news sparked a riot in the city.

2 : a colorful display a riot of wildflowers

3 : someone or something that is very funny The movie was a riot.

riot

verb

rioted; rioting

Kids Definition of riot (Entry 2 of 2)

: to take part in violent and uncontrolled public behavior

riot

noun

ri·ot

Legal Definition of riot

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a disturbance of the peace created by an assemblage of usually three or more people acting with a common purpose and in a violent and tumultuous manner to the terror of the public also : the crime of rioting

riot

intransitive verb

Legal Definition of riot (Entry 2 of 2)

: to create or engage in a riot

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