What does "revolution" mean?
A political upheaval in a government or state characterized by great change.
Revolution
/ˌɹɛv.əˈluː.ʃən/ name, noun
name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A political upheaval in a government or state characterized by great change.
- Grammar: revolution is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: rotation, about face, about-face, accommodation.
- Useful contrasts: gradual political change, old regime, political status quos.
- Usage evidence: After the revolution, France became a republic.
How to use "revolution"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "revolution" 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 "revolution" 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 "revolution" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "revolution" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- 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 "revolution" is acting as name, noun 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 "rotation" 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.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "revolution", 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 A political upheaval in a government or state characterized by great change. countable
"The revolution had completely transformed the monarchy into a republic."
- 2 the overthrow of a government by those who are governed wordnet
- 3 The popular removal and replacement of a government, especially by sudden violent action. countable
"For a long time the dormouse and polecat had seemed to him overfeeble enemies for his restless valour, even as the granary floor seemed to afford too narrow a field. Every day he read the papers of the previous day in the servants' hall of the houses he visited, and it appeared to him that this war in America, which was hailed as the awakening of the spirit of liberty and justice in the New World, ought to produce a revolution in France."
- 4 a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving wordnet
- 5 Rotation: the turning of an object around an axis, one complete turn of an object during rotation. countable, uncountable
"The ratio between the speeds of revolution of wheel and disc is substantially equal to the reciprocal of the ratio between the diameter of the wheel and the diameter of the mean contact circle on the disc."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a single complete turn (axial or orbital) wordnet
- 7 In the case of celestial bodies, the traversal of one body along an orbit around another body. countable, uncountable
"It takes 365 days for the Earth to complete one revolution around the sun."
- 8 A sudden, vast change in a situation, a discipline, or the way of thinking and behaving. countable, uncountable
"the AI revolution"
- 9 A round of periodic changes, such as between the seasons of the year. countable, uncountable
- 10 Consideration of an idea; the act of revolving something in the mind. countable, uncountable
- 11 a rule in Tycoon where if four cards are placed down at once, the card hierarchy is reversed. countable, uncountable
Proper Noun
- 1 Ellipsis of American Revolution. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
"American TV, in the black-coffee hours of a Saturday morning, had other things to focus on. On this side of the Atlantic, two and a half centuries away from the Revolution, it’s easier to take it all in as a costume party, as the royals were borne through the streets like elaborately plated desserts."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"After the revolution, France became a republic."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "revolution"?
Common synonyms include: rotation, about face, about-face, accommodation, adaptation, adjustment.
How do you use "revolution" in a sentence?
After the revolution, France became a republic.
How do you pronounce "revolution"?
Pronounced /ˌɹɛv.əˈluː.ʃən/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English revolucion, borrowed from Old French revolucion, from Late Latin revolūtiōnem, accusative singular of revolūtiō (“the act of revolving; revolution”), from Latin revolvō (“roll back, revolve”).