revolution

noun

rev·​o·​lu·​tion ˌre-və-ˈlü-shən How to pronounce revolution (audio)
Synonyms of revolutionnext
1
a(1)
: the action by a celestial body of going round in an orbit or elliptical course
also : apparent movement of such a body round the earth
(2)
: the time taken by a celestial body to make a complete round in its orbit
(3)
: the rotation of a celestial body on its axis
b
: completion of a course (as of years)
also : the period made by the regular succession of a measure of time or by a succession of similar events
c(1)
: a progressive motion of a body around an axis so that any line of the body parallel to the axis returns to its initial position while remaining parallel to the axis in transit and usually at a constant distance from it
(2)
: motion of any figure about a center or axis
revolution of a right triangle about one of its legs generates a cone
(3)
: rotation sense 1b
2
a
: a sudden, radical, or complete change
b
: a fundamental change in political organization
especially : the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed
c
: activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in the socioeconomic situation
d
: a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something : a change of paradigm
the Copernican revolution
e
: a changeover in use or preference especially in technology
the computer revolution
the foreign car revolution

Did you know?

Revolution and Revolt

Revolution and revolt have a shared origin, both ultimately going back to the Latin revolvere “to revolve, roll back.” When revolution first appeared in English in the 14th century, it referred to the movement of a celestial body in orbit; that sense was extended to “a progressive motion of a body around an axis,” “completion of a course,” and other senses suggesting regularity of motion or a predictable return to an original position. At virtually the same time, the word developed a sharply different meaning, namely, ”a sudden radical, or complete change,” apparently from the idea of reversal of direction implicit in the Latin verb. Revolt , which initially meant “to renounce allegiance,” grew from the same idea of “rolling back,” in this case from a prior bond of loyalty.

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for revolution

rebellion, revolution, uprising, revolt, insurrection, mutiny mean an outbreak against authority.

rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

Examples of revolution in a Sentence

The group started a revolution. The king knew that there was a threat of revolution. This new theory could cause a revolution in elementary education. the revolution of the Earth around the Sun The period of revolution of the Earth around the Sun is equal to one year. The Earth makes one revolution on its axis in about 24 hours. This motor operates at a speed of 5,000 revolutions per minute.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Author of 'Swarm Troopers: How small drones will conquer the world,' following cutting-edge military technology in general and the drone warfare revolution in particular. —David Hambling, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 The Keynesian revolution provided still another policy response for governments to consider during periods of economic crisis: spending as fiscal stimulus to create jobs and income. —Erik Guzik / The Conversation, Quartz, 4 Nov. 2024 The country’s revolution inspired millions of people across the Middle East to rise up against their own autocrats. —Sarah E. Yerkes, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2024 Arkani-Hamed and his collaborators aspire to bring about a conceptual revolution of the sort that rocked physics in the late 1700s. —Charlie Wood, WIRED, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for revolution 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English revolucioun "rotation of the heavenly spheres around the earth, cyclical recurrence, completed motion around an axis, change of fortune," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French revolucion "return of a celestial body to its point of departure, recurrence," borrowed from Medieval Latin revolūtiōn-, revolūtiō, going back to Late Latin, "a rolling back, return, recurrence," from Latin revolū-, variant stem of revolvere "to roll back to a starting point, (passive) travel in a circular course, return to a starting point" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at revolve

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of revolution was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing revolution

Dictionary Entries Near revolution

revoluted

revolution

revolutional

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Revolution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revolution. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

revolution

noun
rev·​o·​lu·​tion ˌrev-ə-ˈlü-shən How to pronounce revolution (audio)
1
a
: the action by a heavenly body of going round in an orbit
b
: the time taken to complete one orbit
2
: completion of a course (as of years) : cycle
3
a
: the action or motion of revolving : a turning round a center or axis : rotation
b
: a single complete turn (as of a wheel or a phonograph record)
4
a
: a sudden, extreme, or complete change
b
: a basic change in government
especially : the overthrow of one government and the substitution of another by the governed

More from Merriam-Webster on revolution

Nglish: Translation of revolution for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of revolution for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about revolution

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

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 Word Game 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?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Giving Thanks Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...