revolt 1 of 2

as in insurrection
open fighting against authority (as one's own government) soon the revolt had spread to every corner of the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

revolt

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun revolt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of revolt are insurrection, mutiny, rebellion, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," 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 mutiny instead of revolt?

The meanings of mutiny and revolt largely overlap; however, 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 revolt?

While in some cases nearly identical to revolt, rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

When can revolution be used instead of revolt?

Although the words revolution and revolt have much in common, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

When might uprising be a better fit than revolt?

The synonyms uprising and revolt are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 revolt
Noun
France is in a constant state of revolt. Renaud Foucart, Time, 28 Sep. 2025 One video for the song Turista, for instance, focused on Lares, the site of the 1868 Grito de Lares revolt against Spanish rule. Cat Sposato, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
Several professional medical societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, have revolted against the government, and last month published immunization guidelines that diverge from the current CDC’s. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025 There are blood stains in the bathroom, a revolting mess in the toilet. Judy Berman, Time, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for revolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revolt
Noun
  • The National Guard can be deployed to assist Americans during natural disasters and in times of insurrection or open revolt.
    Brian Bennett, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
  • There is no insurrection in Portland.
    Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Christine assures him that she could never be disgusted with him.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Calling the mass killing of civilians in Gaza a genocide is contentious as well, but even patriotic Israelis disgusted by their own government have begun to use the term.
    Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Still, Johnson can try to block the discharge effort in the Rules Committee, though the panel has rebelled against him in the past.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The Arts and Crafts movement rebelled against factory drudgery and mass production.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The uprisings moved through the region as the Arab Spring ignited, and tens of millions of frustrated residents went online to coordinate.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Moroccan protesters are using social media platforms like TikTok and Discord—a messaging app popular among gamers and also used during the Nepal uprising—to organize, with the group 'Gen Z 212' and other groups coordinating rallies.
    Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After a disastrous trip to Mexico where Irina appeared repulsed by pretty much everything Zack did, the couple split and Zack crawled back to Bliss.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
  • He was repulsed then, but years later, thinking about a man who’d expressed an interest in the human body in the most macabre possible way sparked something in Hunnam.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Vance is fresh off a stay in the English countryside, where the staff of popular pub The Bull in Charlbury allegedly threatened a mutiny if they were forced to serve the staunch conservative.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2025
  • So no red eyes, no space mutinies — just words, structured to be helpful.
    Chris Reed, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • The outbreak has killed four people and sickened at least 20, all but one of whom required hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025
  • In March 2020, following a European tour, both country-folk singer and songwriter and his wife of 23 years, Fiona, were sickened by coronavirus (COVID-19).
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The state argued incidents that arose from the ICE facility protests in recent months have been handled by local law enforcement and have not been severe enough to be considered a riot or rebellion.
    Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Her choice challenges the rules of her world and sparks a rebellion that paves the way for a new way of life.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Revolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revolt. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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