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 international messaging has been reinforced by communist organizations that make no secret of their revolutionary objectives, using the dockworkers' campaign to advance a broader political struggle against capitalism. — Asra Q. Nomani, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026 But within China, many view him as a revolutionary figure who unified the country and transformed a largely agrarian society into an independent nation. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
But, even then, American socialists walked a fine line—they were considered too radical for the mainstream and a mere bourgeois affectation by committed class revolutionaries. — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026 That’s what Robespierre and other revolutionaries taught us in 1789. — Tyler Speicher, FOXNews.com, 17 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
  • On Thursday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led a radical overhaul of the department's Civil Rights Division, also announced her departure.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The bar’s radical inclusiveness was part of why people cared about it—and part of what its owners were struggling to finance it.
    — Tara Knight, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 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
  • Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry rejected similar Sudanese accusations in a May 5 statement, calling them baseless, and accused Sudan of supporting rebels in its northern Tigray region.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In Colombia’s rural Guaviare region, poor ranchers eke out a living in obscurity, surrounded by armed rebels who traffic cocaine.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 30 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
  • With its choppy layers, tousled texture, and extra length at the nape, this wolf cut brought a rebellious twist to her usual regal aesthetic.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The selection also features Dutch director Sabine Lubbe Bakker’s Premier Souffle, exploring whether a rebellious outsider can find her place in the world after years of isolation from her community.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 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
  • Throughout the campaign, Holscher painted Masterson as an extremist whose election could have catastrophic consequences for public education, tax policy and civil rights.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Matsui has flooded the market with mailers and TV advertisements that portray Vang as an extremist, cite her practice of abstaining from the Pledge of Allegiance and attack Vang over her attendance record at the meetings of local government bodies.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of extremist
Noun
  • Political dissent spurred these efforts, as in the case of the activist and anarchist Emma Goldman.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 30 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

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Cite this Entry

“Revolutionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revolutionary. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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