revolt 1 of 2

Definition of revoltnext
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
Eventually, this revolt from bond vigilantes will make lawmakers bite the bullet. Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026 The director frames the film as an immersion into the mind of one such figure — shaped by social discontent, inequality and state repression — who triggers revolt to avenge the death of his dog. Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
Progressive Democrats revolted over the prospect of blessing any additional funding for immigration enforcement agencies, particularly Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while conservative Republicans demanded unrelated policy concessions or rejected the bill outright as fiscally irresponsible. Nik Popli, Time, 3 Feb. 2026 The movement could be broken apart by infighting over the succession, international allies might revolt, and domestic adversaries might find more appealing methods of responding to the crisis. Walter Russell Mead, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for revolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revolt
Noun
  • Presiding judge Ji Gwi-yeon ruled Yoon’s deployment of troops to parliament and attempt to arrest political opponents, including current President Lee Jae Myung, who was then head of the opposition, were acts of insurrection.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Ji said declaring martial law can constitute insurrection if intended to obstruct or paralyze constitutional institutions.
    Hakyung Kate Lee, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • More disturbingly, some MAGA cultural warriors claimed to be disgusted by Bad Bunny’s suggestive dancing and called for his censorship, harking back to the 1950s, when emerging superstar Elvis Presley was shot by TV cameras from the waist up during his appearance at the Ed Sullivan show.
    Ediberto Roman, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
  • In one of those realities (the actual one most of us are living in), a growing number of people across the political spectrum are angered, terrified and disgusted by actions being taken in their names by people and agencies which seem to have little or no accountability.
    Brenda Looper, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Amid all that, Varsity Blues — about a Texas high-school football team rebelling against its abusive coach and holding on to one last gasp of glory before graduation — got a little lost.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
  • In the meantime, an unstable government could become more rather than less aggressive, not least to keep younger hard-liners from rebelling.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • But to head off another mass uprising, the Islamic Republic's leadership knows the best option would be to get sanctions lifted so Iranians can afford food and fuel again.
    Mariia Kashchenko, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Rahman’s main rival, the Bangladesh Awami League party headed by Hasina — who was ousted in the 2024 mass uprising — was banned from the race.
    Julhas Alam, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.
    Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
  • And Republicans are among those repulsed by the ongoing scandals.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • So this protest, this mutiny is really more about the primary dance.
    Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Alekseyev, 64, played a prominent role during the mutiny by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in the summer of 2023.
    Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Yet Bragg couldn’t tell the parent just how severely ill their fellow South Carolinians were getting from the outbreak sickening people around them.
    Jennifer Berry Hawes, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Now, the current energy crisis has made the situation so much worse that residents, sickened by the stench and the flies, have started burning the garbage, covering parts of Havana with unhealthy blankets of smoke, Cuban independent news outlet 14ymedio reported.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • And last week, former interior minister Lee Sang-min was sentenced to seven years in prison for participating in a rebellion.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
  • South Korea’s Justice Ministry bans Yoon from traveling overseas as police, prosecutors and an anti-corruption agency expand competing investigations into allegations of rebellion and other charges.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Revolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revolt. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

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