Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, 3rd person singular presenttense revels, present participle revelling, past tense, past participle revelledregional note: in AM, use reveling, reveled
1. verb
If you revelin a situation or experience, you enjoy it very much.
Revelling in her freedom, she took a hotel room and stayed for several days. [VERB + in]
Cats positively revel in heat, whether natural or man-made. [VERBin noun]
Synonyms: celebrate, rave [British, slang], carouse, live it up [informal] More Synonyms of revel
2. countable noun [usually plural]
Revels are noisy celebrations.
[literary]
The revels often last until dawn.
Synonyms: merrymaking, party, celebration, rave [British, slang] More Synonyms of revel
revel in British English
(ˈrɛvəl)
verbWord forms: -els, -elling, -elledWord forms: US-els, -eling or -eled(intransitive)
1. (foll by in)
to take pleasure or wallow
to revel in success
2.
to take part in noisy festivities; make merry
noun
3. (often plural)
an occasion of noisy merrymaking
4. a less common word for revelry
Derived forms
reveller (ˈreveller) or US reveler (ˈreveler)
noun
revelment (ˈrevelment)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French reveler to be merry, noisy, from Latin rebellāre to revolt, rebel
revel in American English
(ˈrɛvəl)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈreveled or ˈrevelled, ˈreveling or ˈrevelling
1.
to make merry; be noisily festive
2.
to take much pleasure; delight (in)
to revel in one's freedom
noun
3.
boisterous festivity; merrymaking; revelry
4. [often pl.]
an occasion of merrymaking or boisterous festivity; celebration
Derived forms
reveler (ˈreveler)
noun or ˈreveller
Word origin
ME revelen < MFr reveler, to revel, lit., to rebel < L rebellare: see rebel
Examples of 'revel' in a sentence
revel
You know Albert would rather eat his own head than miss an opportunity to revel in a bit of doom and gloom.
Bénédicte Newland and Pascale Smets AND GOD CREATED THE AU PAIR (2005)
Yet when I came through the woods last Thursday morning, I heard a woman singing a song whose whole point was to revel in those sins.
Hilton, John Buxton PASSION IN THE PEAK (2005)
Both Julie and Marie seemed to revel in his old-fashioned chivalry.
Tapply, William G A RODENT OF DOUBT (2005)
To let the feel of him, hard as rock beneath his finery, sink to her bones, to revel in the way her softer flesh sank against him.
Stephanie Laurens THE PROMISE IN A KISS (2005)
In other languages
revel
British English: revel VERB
to revel in sth If you revel in a situation or experience, you enjoy it very much.
Revelling in her freedom, she took a hotel room and stayed for several days.
American English: revel
Brazilian Portuguese: desfrutar
Chinese: 陶醉
European Spanish: gozar
French: se délecter
German: genießen
Italian: provare piacere
Japanese: とても喜ぶ
Korean: 한껏 즐기다
European Portuguese: desfrutar
Latin American Spanish: gozar
Chinese translation of 'revel'
revel
(ˈrɛvl)
vi
to revel in sth尽(盡)情享受某事物 (jìnqíng xiǎngshòu mǒu shìwù)
(verb)
Definition
to take part in noisy festivities
I'm afraid I revelled the night away.
Synonyms
celebrate
I was in a mood to celebrate.
rave (British, slang)
carouse
They should stay home more, instead of going out and carousing with friends.
live it up (informal)
There's no reason why you couldn't live it up once in a while.
push the boat out (British, informal)
I earn enough to push the boat out now and again.
whoop it up (informal, old-fashioned)
make merry
Neighbours went out into the streets and made merry together.
paint the town red (informal)
Thousands of football fans painted the town red after the match.
large it (British, slang, old-fashioned)
go on a spree
roister
(noun)
Definition
noisy merrymaking
The revels often last until dawn.
Synonyms
merrymaking
party
We threw a huge birthday party.
celebration
There was a celebration in our house that night.
rave (British, slang)
an all-night rave
gala
a gala at the Royal Opera House
spree (old-fashioned)
They attacked two London shops after a drinking spree.
festivity
The festivities included a firework display.
beano (British, slang)
debauch (old-fashioned)
The party degenerated into a drunken debauch.
saturnalia
bacchanal
rave-up (British, slang)
jollification
carousal
hooley or hoolie mainly Irish, New Zealand)
carouse
phrasal verb
See revel in something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bacchanal
Synonyms
orgy,
revel,
debauch,
debauchery,
revelry
in the sense of carouse
Definition
to have a merry drinking party
They should stay home more, instead of going out and carousing with friends.
Synonyms
drink,
booze (informal),
revel,
imbibe (formal),
quaff,
pub-crawl (informal, British),
bevvy (dialect),
make merry,
wassail,
bend the elbow (informal),
roister,
go on the piss (taboo, slang)
in the sense of celebration
There was a celebration in our house that night.
Synonyms
party,
festival,
gala,
jubilee,
festivity,
rave (British, slang),
junketing,
beano (British, slang),
revelry,
red-letter day,
rave-up (British, slang),
merrymaking,
jollification,
carousal,
-fest,
hooley or hoolie (Irish, New Zealand)
Nearby words of
revel
return
revamp
reveal
revel
revel in something
revelation
reveller
Related terms of
revel
revel in something
Synonyms of 'revel'
revel
Explore 'revel' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of debauch
The party degenerated into a drunken debauch.
Synonyms
orgy,
fling,
bout,
spree,
binge (informal),
bender (informal),
carouse,
saturnalia,
bacchanalia,
carousal
in the sense of festivity
Definition
happy celebration
The festivities included a firework display.
Synonyms
celebration,
party,
festival,
entertainment,
rave (British, slang),
beano (British, slang),
fun and games,
rave-up (British, slang),
jollification (old-fashioned),
festive event,
carousal (old-fashioned),
festive proceedings,
hooley or hoolie (Irish, New Zealand)
in the sense of gala
Definition
a special social occasion, esp. a special performance
a gala at the Royal Opera House
Synonyms
festival,
party,
fête,
celebration,
carnival,
festivity,
pageant,
jamboree
in the sense of live it up
There's no reason why you couldn't live it up once in a while.
Synonyms
enjoy yourself,
celebrate,
have fun,
revel,
have a ball (informal),
large it (British, slang),
push the boat out (British, informal),
paint the town red,
make whoopee (informal),
overindulge yourself
in the sense of make merry
Definition
to take part in noisy cheerful celebrations or fun
Neighbours went out into the streets and made merry together.
Synonyms
have fun,
celebrate,
revel,
have a good time,
feast,
frolic,
enjoy yourself,
large it (British, slang),
carouse,
make whoopee (informal)
in the sense of paint the town red
Thousands of football fans painted the town red after the match.
Synonyms
celebrate,
revel,
large it (British, slang),
carouse,
live it up (informal),
make merry,
make whoopee (informal),
go on a binge (informal),
go on a spree,
go on the town
in the sense of party
Definition
a social gathering for pleasure
We threw a huge birthday party.
Synonyms
get-together (informal),
celebration,
do (informal),
social,
at-home,
gathering,
function,
reception,
bash (informal),
rave (British, slang),
festivity,
knees-up (British, informal),
beano (British, slang),
social gathering,
shindig (informal),
soirée,
wrap party,
rave-up (British, slang),
afterparty,
hooley or hoolie (Irish, New Zealand)
in the sense of push the boat out
I earn enough to push the boat out now and again.
Synonyms
celebrate,
party,
large it (British, slang),
have a fling,
go the whole hog (informal),
go on a bender (informal),
put the flags out,
kill the fatted calf,
go on a beano (British, slang)
in the sense of rave
Definition
a professionally organized large-scale party with electronic dance music
an all-night rave
Synonyms
party,
rave-up (British, slang),
do (informal),
affair,
celebration,
bash (informal),
blow-out (slang),
beano (British, slang),
hooley or hoolie (Irish, New Zealand)
in the sense of spree
Definition
a session of overindulgence, usually in drinking or spending money
They attacked two London shops after a drinking spree.