revolutionary 1 of 2

adjective

ˌre-və-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce revolutionary (audio)
Definition of revolutionarynext
1
as in radical
being very far from the center of public opinion a candidate with a lot of crazy, revolutionary ideas that no one seems to be going for

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2
as in insurgent
taking part in a rebellion revolutionary forces that were soundly defeated before reaching the capital

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revolutionary

2 of 2

noun

1
as in rebel
a person who favors rapid and sweeping changes especially in laws and methods of government after the collapse of the Russian monarchy, the moderate socialists briefly governed until being overthrown by the Bolshevik revolutionaries

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2
as in revolutionist
a person who rises up against authority at first the government was not worried about this small band of unarmed revolutionaries

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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 revolutionary
Adjective
The businesses that survive rarely have the most revolutionary ideas. — Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026 Even under the shadow of a bombing days earlier that killed 10 people, lawmakers gathered to begin rebuilding one of the institutions on which stable societies depend, especially in a post-revolutionary context. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
In 1792, French revolutionaries arrested and imprisoned King Louis XVI; he would be executed by guillotine the following January. — ABC News, 28 July 2026 The monarchy was overthrown in the February Revolution of 1917, and the tsar and his family became prisoners of the revolutionaries. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for revolutionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revolutionary
  1. radical
  2. insurgent
  3. rebel
  4. extreme
  5. rebellious
  6. revolutionist
  7. extremist
  8. anarchist
Adjective
  • Many fans have been playing the game for years and aren't necessarily into a radical change on such a huge mechanic like catching passes.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • His platform—Medicare for All, student debt cancellation, and a wealth tax—was radical by American standards and entirely conventional by the standards of most rich democracies.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of radical
Adjective
  • Four years ago, during his insurgent first campaign, this editorial board had been wary of some of Mejia’s radical rhetoric.
    — The Editorial Board, Daily News, 10 June 2026
  • Myanmar is worried about resistance to military rule, India is concerned with insurgent groups in its northeast.
    — Michael Sullivan, NPR, 30 May 2026
Definition of insurgent
Noun
  • Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former rebel commander who has served as Syria’s President since 2025, has been outward looking since taking power.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Dozens of rebel and militia groups operate across eastern Congo.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • Madrid asked everyone involved to move with extreme discretion.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • This problem is anticipated to worsen as more AI providers adopt watermarking, creating a fertile environment for scams and deception, thus users are urged to exercise extreme caution.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • While many may remember Cooter as a gregarious good ‘ol boy, the character had a wild, rebellious side in the first season of the show.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2026
  • In a somewhat rebellious moment, Meghan attended her first Trooping the Colour ceremony wearing an off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera dress.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Noun
  • As the head of China’s Nationalist government, Chiang and his party were trying to establish control in a nation divided among revolutionists, nationalists, Indigenous warlords, and a developing communist army and government.
    — Susan Tate Ankeny, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024
  • Many revolutionists see heavy tank casualties in Ukraine as the key indicator for the tank’s looming obsolescence in the face of newly lethal precision antitank weapons.
    — Stephen Biddle, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2023
Definition of revolutionist
Noun
  • When Israeli extremists arrived in Qusra to force Palestinians from their homes, residents hoped the Israel Defense Forces would come to their aid.
    — Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Extremists can win blue states, but presidential elections and congressional control are decided in purple states, and America will not elect extremists and socialists.
    — Andrew Cuomo, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of extremist
Noun
  • Central Florida’s anarchist, tattooed knockoff of Buc-ee’s beaver mascot is no more.
    — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Indeed, antisemitisms prove that a society can hold contradictory images simultaneously, such as the fact that the Jews are both anarchists out to destroy capitalism as well as capitalists out to exploit the working class.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
Definition of anarchist

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Cite this Entry

“Revolutionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revolutionary. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of revolutionary for Spanish Speakers

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