What does "revel" mean?
An instance of merrymaking; a celebration.
Revel
name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·2 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An instance of merrymaking; a celebration.
- Grammar: revel is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: adore, anarchist, anniversaries, anniversary.
- Useful contrasts: abhor, condemn, dislike.
- Usage evidence: As long as the Forest stands it will be a home, a refuge and a playground to these sweet immortals, who revel undisturbed in its depths.
How to use "revel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "revel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "revel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "revel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "revel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "revel" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adore" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "revel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An instance of merrymaking; a celebration.
"Our revels now are ended."
- 2 Alternative form of reveal. alt-of, alternative
- 3 unrestrained merrymaking wordnet
- 4 A kind of dance.
- 5 A wake for the dead.
Verb
- 1 To make merry; to have a happy, lively time.
"If there bee any lasie fellow, any that cannot away with worke, any that would wallow in pleasures, hee is hastie to be priested. And when hee is made one, and has gotten a benefice, he consorts with his neighbour priests, who are altogether given to pleasures; and then both hee, and they, live, not like Christians, but like epicures; drinking, eating, feasting, and revelling, till the cow come home, as the saying is."
- 2 To draw back; to retract. obsolete
"It then revelleth and drawethe backe agayne those humors which concurre towardes the Eyes."
- 3 take delight in wordnet
- 4 To take delight (in something).
"Slowing down doesn't have to feel like holding back. It can be an opportunity to revel in sounds and sensations, to not be so concerned about where we are going but to enjoy the moment and become comfortable where we are."
- 5 celebrate noisily, often indulging in drinking; engage in uproarious festivities wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"As long as the Forest stands it will be a home, a refuge and a playground to these sweet immortals, who revel undisturbed in its depths."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "revel"?
Common synonyms include: adore, anarchist, anniversaries, anniversary, appreciate, bacchanal.
How do you use "revel" in a sentence?
As long as the Forest stands it will be a home, a refuge and a playground to these sweet immortals, who revel undisturbed in its depths.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English revelen, from Old French revel, from reveler (“to be disorderly, to make merry”), from Latin rebello (“to rebel”). Doublet of rebel.
Etymology 2
From Latin revellere, from re- + vellere (“to pluck, pull”).
Etymology 3
* As an English surname, variant of Revell. * As a French surname, from Old French reveau (“rebel”). * Also as a French surname, from several places in France, such as Revel, Haute-Garonne, named after a nearby Mont Revel, from Latin rebellis (“he who revolts, rebels”).