1
as in rotation
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point revved the engine to 3000 revolutions per minute

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government) the revolution by which the American colonies gained their independence from Great Britain necessitated going up against the world's most powerful army

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun revolution differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of revolution are insurrection, mutiny, rebellion, revolt, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

When is mutiny a more appropriate choice than revolution?

Although the words mutiny and revolution have much in common, mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

When would rebellion be a good substitute for revolution?

The meanings of rebellion and revolution largely overlap; however, rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

How are the words revolt and insurrection related as synonyms of revolution?

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 could uprising be used to replace revolution?

The words uprising and revolution are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 revolution Iran was at its weakest point since the 1980s, maybe since the Iranian revolution in 1979. Quinn Scanlan, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2025 But fast-forward a few decades, and the revolution’s wearing a red baseball cap and yelling at the ruling class on social media. Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2025 Koenigsegg doubled that figure, with two sets of 3-phase power at 30-degrees offset – that's six extra fun pushes of power per revolution. New Atlas, 26 Apr. 2025 The Grand Egyptian Museum, outside Cairo, has been delayed by revolutions, wars, financial crises and a pandemic. Keith Bradsher Jason Horowitz Stephen Hiltner Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for revolution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revolution
Noun
  • At times Sunday night, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was reduced to playing 6-foot-5 Haywood Highsmith in his power rotation, with Highsmith going a surprising 39:37.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2025
  • This earned a permanent spot in my body scrub rotation.
    Audrey Noble, Glamour, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This historic protest inaugurated a summer of 300 to 500 barricades across France, establishing the tractor blockade as a symbol of agricultural revolt.
    Made by History, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
  • However, the worse the prison’s conditions become — as the workers are forced to slave away on secret Death Star parts with no promise of release — the more Kino is pushed to join Cassian and his brewing prisoner revolt.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • As policymakers debate the future of the dollar amid a mounting debt crisis, financial professionals concerned about its long-term value can begin adopting sound money principles today, positioning themselves and their clients ahead of the curve.
    Sanford Mann, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • For instance, earlier this month stocks sank and bond yields rose, particularly on the longer end of the curve, Chaudhuri pointed out.
    Michelle Fox, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Arrested repeatedly since the height of the Egyptian uprising in 2011, he was sentenced in 2021 to an additional five years in prison for spreading false news and assaulting a police officer – charges that human rights organizations say were politically motivated.
    Mounira Elsamra, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Their uprising over, they are presented with a fresh set of challenges under the rule of a cunning pig named Napoleon (Rogen).
    Brent Lang, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Get to know the artists putting a Mexican spin on a timeless Caribbean sound.
    Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
  • These casinos also offer several bonuses, like their free spins bonuses, that can boost winnings to up to several million dollars.
    Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Users have convened on 4chan to plan hacks like DDoS attacks, and conspiracy theories that festered on 4chan even reportedly inspired the January 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol.
    Matt Burgess, Wired News, 15 Apr. 2025
  • With military support from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain’s Sunni dictator Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa survived a Shiite insurrection.
    Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • For the dandy, fashion was a vehicle for both self-expression and a subtle form of rebellion against societal norms.
    Ty Gaskins, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The seeds of rebellion continue to be planted, with multiple storylines weaving together in tense standoffs that will keep both imperials and agitators on edge.
    EW Staff, EW.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • It has been used to punish mutinies and desertion in armies, as frontier justice in America's Old West and as a tool of terror and political repression in the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Which brings me back to the confusion and the mutiny.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Revolution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revolution. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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