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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
One crucial insight is that a technology can truly be revolutionary, yet still fuel a bubble that ends in a financial crash. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026 Here are the best, smartest and most revolutionary titles the genre created. — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
But unlike other Floridians of Cuban descent — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio — Valdes ended up defending Cuba’s socialist revolutionaries and officials who have killed, jailed, tortured, and censored numerous political enemies. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026 In the decade of violent conflicts that followed, attacks on border towns and seizures of American property by revolutionaries and bandits prompted the United States to send two military expeditions into Mexico. — Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 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
  • For now, both exhibitors and producers are watching closely to see whether the violence will become a recurring problem in the run-up to the presidential election, with the far right and radical left parties leading in polls.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Preserving our constitutional republic from radical Islam means accepting the costs that come with it—name-calling, threats, and worse.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 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
  • The war next door United Nations experts have documented Rwandan military support for M23 rebels, which have seized territory in eastern DRC.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But the rebels also have an array of relatively cheap drones, including weapons supplied by Iran, and locally made copies of Iranian attack drones.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • Many of these materials are made from oil, which emits pollutants when burned, driving climate change and fueling extreme weather.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The flooding comes after extreme weather hit the Southwest throughout the week.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • Converse and Vaquera are coming together again with a rebellious spirit.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In the episode on the 1993 timeline, the team intervenes when a general’s rebellious teen son is targeted by a dangerous former gang member.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 20 Oct. 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
  • Outraged Jewish groups are now demanding organizers answer for bankrolling violent extremists.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The blueprint included the recruitment of mercenaries and exploiting the grievances of disaffected citizens, from religious fanatics and extremists to soccer fans.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of extremist
Noun
  • At the time, the project felt hyperbolic, largely because of the finger-wagging interventions of Zillah, a modern-day punk anarchist who ranted about Reagan as a new Hitler.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The situation on the ground is unpredictable because the students, communists, anarchists, anti-Israel and other protesters that have collaborated to make France a worse place to visit in recent days might do something no one expects.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of anarchist

Browse Nearby Words

revolutionaries
revolutionary
revolutionist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Revolutionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revolutionary. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of disparate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All