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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 three-stage architecture is not revolutionary on its own. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026 Unlike traditional growth factors derived from human or bacterial sources, BIOEFFECT’s growth factors are bioengineered in barley plants – a revolutionary method developed by Icelandic scientists. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Noun
The revolutionaries who led the offensive dominate the seats of power in Tehran. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Centrist Democrats are not socialists, not revolutionaries, and not disposed to blame Zionist conspiracies for every trouble in American life, including police brutality and urban gentrification. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 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
  • Bartos argues the gathering codified radical anti-Western hatred, antisemitism, and anti-American sentiment, birth-place to the BDS movement.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Balasubramanian suspects that even this kind of radical model doesn’t go far enough.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 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 charges stemmed from fighting more than a decade ago between the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels who seized power from then-President François Bozizé, and a mainly Christian militia called the anti-Balaka.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In the south, an array of militias and armed groups arose over the years, ostensibly to back the government against the rebels.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • Wizman said yields at these levels are not themselves unusual, particularly because they are not being accompanied by extreme inflation expectations or an aggressively tightening Fed.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Bluetoothing is known to occur in settings of extreme poverty as a cheaper way of getting high.
    — David Cox, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • Vivienne Westwood, who died in 2022, helped define the punk fashion movement and became internationally known for rebellious designs that challenged conventional ideas of fashion and style.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Emma and Lizzie belong to a wealthy New England family and were once close, but as Lizzie and her rebellious housemaid Bridget Sullivan (Vicky Krieps) become deeply entangled, their relationship strains.
    — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 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 caption on the video claims that a group of Muslim extremists kidnapped and beheaded a Christian man for refusing to convert to Islam.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Dictators chose repression, extremists chose violence, and regional powers pursued their interests.
    — Ayman M. Mohyeldin, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of extremist
Noun
  • There are groups of radical environmentalists and anarchists who embrace him, and Luigi Mangione gave the Unabomber Manifesto a four-star review on Goodreads.
    — Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Woody is prone to meandering and hippy-dippy monologues, as a weed-loving anarchist.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 2026.

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