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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 new revolutionary scanning transmission electron microscope was installed at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 2026 Fixing a problem inside one of the world's most sophisticated scientific observatories might seem like the kind of challenge that demands a multimillion-dollar upgrade or revolutionary new technology. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 July 2026
Noun
Or was July 4, 1776, for the revolutionaries who founded the US, actually an undistinguished day? — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 July 2026 Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked a lot like the people of 2026. — Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 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
  • For Schoenbrun, though, Kris’s professional setback is an opportunity for her artistic and personal renewal, in the form of radical independence.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 31 July 2026
  • But recent years have seen a radical shift, as Indian designers are making their presence felt on the global stage.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 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 rebels, meanwhile, saw a golden opportunity to reopen an airspace long shut by Saudi Arabia.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The group is led by Iyad Ag Ghaly, a veteran of the Tuareg rebel group and a former Malian diplomat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • The Old Trails Fire – fueled by extreme fire weather conditions – has burned nearly 3,000 acres, Washington State Forester George Geissler said at a news conference Saturday, adding about 4,000 buildings are threatened in the area.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In Montana, the entire east side of the state was under an extreme heat warning Saturday, said weather service meteorologist Jeff Kitsmiller.
    — Tammy Webber, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • This shift has moved in tandem with the growing dynamic of parliamentarians becoming more rebellious and less loyal to their leadership.
    — Garret Martin, The Conversation, 31 July 2026
  • John Mellencamp's rebellious spirit drives him Along with his status as blue-collar rocker, Mellencamp is also a respected artist.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 30 July 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
  • The following day, the state added him to its official register of terrorists and extremists, a designation that obliges Russian banks to freeze his assets.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • The song debuted in 1995, at a Voters for Choice benefit concert hosted by Gloria Steinem, after an antiabortion extremist murdered two women at a Planned Parenthood and another family-planning clinic in Massachusetts.
    — Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026
Definition of extremist
Noun
  • 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
  • The film follows Lena (Lena Trifunović), an anarchist student active in Belgrade’s anti-government movement, and Stefan (Andrija Krivokapić), a working-class youth who finds himself, almost by chance, among pro-government loyalists.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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