mutiny 1 of 2

Definition of mutinynext

mutiny

2 of 2

verb

as in to rebel
to rise up against established authority the party's conservative faction mutinied just before the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mutiny differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mutiny are insurrection, rebellion, revolt, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

When could rebellion be used to replace mutiny?

The synonyms rebellion and mutiny are sometimes interchangeable, but rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

How do revolt and insurrection relate to one another, in the sense of mutiny?

Both revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

When is it sensible to use revolution instead of mutiny?

While the synonyms revolution and mutiny are close in meaning, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

When can uprising be used instead of mutiny?

Although the words uprising and mutiny have much in common, uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mutiny
Noun
That mobility occasionally allowed for communication and coordination during mutinies. Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026 After Thomas Hickey was hanged that year for mutiny, sedition and treachery, Washington warned that his fate should serve as a caution to all soldiers. Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
In June 2023, the group mutinied and marched on Moscow before then leader Yevgeny Prigozhin negotiated a deal with the Kremlin. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024 Meanwhile, any question that Jod and Captain Silvo (the pirate whose crew mutinied in the series premiere) are one and the same was dismissed, when Brutus and his crew spoke of how Silvo had escaped the brig before facing a trial. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for mutiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutiny
Noun
  • After the fallout over the Epstein files’ revelations on Mandelson, Rayner led a lawmakers’ revolt to force the government to cede control to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee to decide which documents should be released into the public domain.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 May 2026
  • Trump is facing something of a revolt at home.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Jane rebelled against Marge’s efforts to manage her choices, especially on whom to date.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
  • Embracing a visual vocabulary of the lowbrow and the rudimentary is a tried-and-true method of rebelling against a culture that feels vapid or corporatized.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • Trump then referred to his $5 billion lawsuit against the BBC, over edits made in a 2024 documentary on the January 6 insurrection.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 May 2026
  • But for those less familiar—say, a teenager who was just 10 when the January 6 insurrection happened—the museum does not guide.
    Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • In January, 2019, amid the popular uprising that would ultimately dissolve Bashir’s government, Ibrahim’s employer assisted the family in obtaining visas and plane tickets to Jordan.
    Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • Cody Bellinger then grounded into a forceout that produced a run, Amed Rosario got an RBI on an infield hit and Grisham capped the uprising with his sixth home run.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • The rebellion stems from Labor’s heavy losses in local elections last week and widespread party frustration over Starmer’s leadership, stagnant economic growth and failure to deliver on campaign promises.
    Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
  • On the internet, masculinism is presented as a rebellion—a transgressive middle finger to the liberal establishment, expressed in all the words a corporate HR department would order you not to say.
    Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Mutiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutiny. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

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