Revolutionary activities, organizations, or people have the aim of causing a political revolution.
Do you know anything about the revolutionary movement?
...the Cuban revolutionary leader, Jose Marti.
Synonyms: rebel, radical, extremist, subversive More Synonyms of revolutionary
2. countable noun
A revolutionary is a person who tries to cause a revolution or who takes an active part in one.
The revolutionaries laid down their arms and their leaders went into voluntary exile.
Synonyms: rebel, insurgent, mutineer, insurrectionary More Synonyms of revolutionary
3. adjective
Revolutionary ideas and developments involve great changes in the way that something is done or made.
Invented in 1951, the rotary engine is a revolutionary concept in internal combustion.
His playing as a trumpet player was quite revolutionary.
Synonyms: innovative, new, different, novel More Synonyms of revolutionary
revolutionary in British English
(ˌrɛvəˈluːʃənərɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-aries
1.
a person who advocates or engages in revolution
adjective
2.
relating to or characteristic of a revolution
3.
advocating or engaged in revolution
4.
radically new or different
a revolutionary method of making plastics
5.
rotating or revolving
Derived forms
revolutionarily (ˌrevoˈlutionarily)
adverb
Revolutionary in British English
(ˌrɛvəˈluːʃənərɪ)
adjective
1. mainly US
of or relating to the conflict or period of the War of American Independence (1775–83)
2.
of or relating to any of various other Revolutions, esp the Russian Revolution (1917) or the French Revolution (1789)
revolutionary in American English
(ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛri)
adjective
1.
of, characterized by, favoring, or causing a revolution in a government or social system
2.
bringing about or constituting a great or radical change
a revolutionary design
3. US; [R-]
of or having to do with the American Revolution
4.
revolving or rotating
nounWord forms: pluralˌrevoˈlutionˌaries
5.
a person who favors or takes part in a revolution
Examples of 'revolutionary' in a sentence
revolutionary
The Cuban revolutionaries changed this imbalance of visual power.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Sports stars were instrumental in the first wave of revolutionary fervour.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Change is recognised as a conduit for revolutionary concepts and inspiring ideas.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He is unlikely to recommend anything revolutionary.
The Sun (2013)
They went for what has become something of a revolutionary move.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
None of which is revolutionary or new.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The most revolutionary aspect of technology is its mobility.
Dyson, Freeman Infinite in All Directions (1989)
This fly in the ointment of growth inspires optimistic revolutionaries to change things overnight.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
What must a revolutionary movement have to succeed?
Kishlansky, Mark A. (editor) Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1: From the Beginningto 1715 (1995)
But the content appeared to lack something of the revolutionary fervour that his audience had wanted.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It sounds like a revolutionary new technology that is bound to go far.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
How many modern sportsmen or women get to play during a time of revolutionary change?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His guerrilla techniques have influenced revolutionary movements elsewhere.
Thackrah, J. R. Twentieth Century History - Basic Facts (1985)
Soviet aims were revolutionary, unlimited and global.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
This wouldn't be a revolutionary concept.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I was basically with him all the way through and he was revolutionary in many ways.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He got into revolutionary politics to be liked, which is probably why he is so bad at it.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The three on this page claim to do just that, although the methods they use are anything but revolutionary.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They may not look much but they are vital parts for a revolutionary new machine that will make Britain a world leader in robotics.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The change has been going on from the beginning of the French revolutionary War to this day.
Richard Ingrams The Life and Adventures of William Cobbett (2005)
These leaders were revolutionary, cataclysmic, change agents.
Christianity Today (2000)
At the same time, the French revolutionary wars carried combat to new heights of intensity.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Moreover, few other cities experienced the revolutionary fervour felt in Barcelona.
Paul Preston The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, Revolution and Revenge
Quotations
The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative on the day after the revolutionHannah Arendt
In other languages
revolutionary
British English: revolutionary /ˌrɛvəˈluːʃənərɪ/ ADJECTIVE
Revolutionary activities, organizations, or people have the aim of causing a political revolution.
...a revolutionary leader.
American English: revolutionary
Arabic: ثَوْرِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: revolucionário
Chinese: 革命的
Croatian: revolucionaran
Czech: revoluční
Danish: revolutionær
Dutch: revolutionair
European Spanish: revolucionario
Finnish: vallankumouksellinen
French: révolutionnaire
German: revolutionär
Greek: επαναστατικός
Italian: rivoluzionario
Japanese: 革命的な
Korean: 혁명적인
Norwegian: revolusjonær
Polish: rewolucyjny
European Portuguese: revolucionário
Romanian: revoluționar
Russian: революционный
Latin American Spanish: revolucionario
Swedish: revolutionär
Thai: เกี่ยวกับการปฏิวัติ
Turkish: devrimci
Ukrainian: революційний
Vietnamese: cách mạng
British English: revolutionary NOUN
A revolutionary is a person who tries to cause a revolution or who takes an active part in one.
The revolutionaries laid down their arms and their leaders went into voluntary exile.
American English: revolutionary
Brazilian Portuguese: revolucionário
Chinese: 革命者
European Spanish: revolucionario
French: révolutionnaire
German: Revolutionär
Italian: rivoluzionario
Japanese: 革命家
Korean: 혁명가
European Portuguese: revolucionário
Latin American Spanish: revolucionario
All related terms of 'revolutionary'
post-Revolutionary
of or relating to the period or age after a revolution
revolutionary idea
An idea is a plan , suggestion , or possible course of action.
Revolutionary War
the conflict following the revolt of the North American colonies against British rule, particularly on the issue of taxation . Hostilities began in 1775 when British and American forces clashed at Lexington and Concord . Articles of Confederation agreed in the Continental Congress in 1777 provided for a confederacy to be known as the United States of America. The war was effectively ended with the surrender of the British at Yorktown in 1781 and peace was signed at Paris in Sept 1783
Revolutionary Wars
the series of wars (1792–1802) fought against Revolutionary France by a combination of other powers, esp Britain , Austria , and Prussia
counter-revolutionary
Counter-revolutionary activities are activities intended to reverse the effects of a previous revolution.
Revolutionary calendar
the calendar adopted by the French First Republic in 1793 and abandoned in 1805. Dates were calculated from Sept 22, 1792. The months were called Vend émiaire, Brumaire , Frimaire , Nivôse, Pluviôse, Vent ôse, Germinal , Floréal, Prairial , Messidor , Thermidor , and Fructidor
revolutionary concept
A concept is an idea or abstract principle.
French Revolutionary calendar
the official calendar (1793-1805) of the first French republic
War of American Independence
the conflict following the revolt of the North American colonies against British rule, particularly on the issue of taxation . Hostilities began in 1775 when British and American forces clashed at Lexington and Concord . Articles of Confederation agreed in the Continental Congress in 1777 provided for a confederacy to be known as the United States of America. The war was effectively ended with the surrender of the British at Yorktown in 1781 and peace was signed at Paris in Sept 1783
Chinese translation of 'revolutionary'
revolutionary
(rɛvəˈluːʃənrɪ)
adj
[method, idea, concept]创(創)新的 (chuàngxīn de)
(Pol)[leader, army, movement]革命的 (gémìng de)
n(c)
(Pol) 革命者 (gémìngzhě)
1 (adjective)
Definition
advocating or engaged in revolution
Do you know anything about the revolutionary movement?
Synonyms
rebel
radical
political tension between radical and conservative politicians
extremist
subversive
The play was promptly banned as subversive and possibly treasonous.
insurgent
The insurgent leaders were put on trial.
seditious
He fell under suspicion for distributing seditious pamphlets.
mutinous
His own army, stung by defeat, is mutinous.
insurrectionary
Opposites
loyalist
,
reactionary
,
counter-revolutionary
2 (adjective)
Definition
radically new or different
His trumpet-playing was quite revolutionary.
Synonyms
innovative
products which are cheaper and more innovative
new
They opened a factory in India to manufacture this new invention.
different
novel
Clubs are always looking at novel ways to raise cash.
radical
the radical differences between them
fundamental
progressive
The children go to a progressive school.
experimental
He writes bizarre and highly experimental music.
drastic
avant-garde
avant-garde concert music
ground-breaking
thoroughgoing
Opposites
conservative
,
traditional
,
conventional
,
mainstream
,
trivial
(noun)
Definition
a person who advocates or engages in revolution
The revolutionaries laid down their arms.
Synonyms
rebel
fighting between rebels and government forces
insurgent
The insurgents took control of the main military air base.
mutineer
insurrectionary
revolutionist
insurrectionist
Opposites
loyalist
,
reactionary
,
counter-revolutionary
Quotation
The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative on the day after the revolution [Hannah Arendt]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of avant-garde
Definition
using ideas or techniques in advance of those generally accepted
avant-garde concert music
Synonyms
progressive,
pioneering,
way-out (informal),
experimental,
innovative,
unconventional,
far-out (slang),
ground-breaking,
innovatory
in the sense of experimental
Definition
trying out new ideas or methods
He writes bizarre and highly experimental music.
Synonyms
innovative,
new,
original,
radical,
creative,
ingenious,
avant-garde,
inventive,
ground-breaking
in the sense of insurgent
Definition
rebellious or in revolt against an established authority
The insurgent leaders were put on trial.
Synonyms
rebellious,
revolutionary,
mutinous,
revolting,
riotous,
seditious,
disobedient,
insubordinate,
insurrectionary
Synonyms of 'revolutionary'
revolutionary
Explore 'revolutionary' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of insurgent
Definition
a person who takes part in a rebellion
The insurgents took control of the main military air base.
Synonyms
rebel,
revolutionary,
revolter,
rioter,
resister,
mutineer,
revolutionist,
insurrectionist
in the sense of mutinous
Definition
openly rebellious
His own army, stung by defeat, is mutinous.
Synonyms
rebellious,
revolutionary,
turbulent,
subversive,
unruly,
insurgent,
riotous,
unmanageable,
seditious,
disobedient,
ungovernable,
refractory,
bolshie (British, informal),
insubordinate,
contumacious (literary)
in the sense of new
Definition
recently discovered
They opened a factory in India to manufacture this new invention.
Synonyms
modern,
recent,
contemporary,
up-to-date,
latest,
happening (informal),
different,
current,
advanced,
original,
fresh,
novel,
topical,
state-of-the-art,
ground-breaking,
modish,
newfangled,
modernistic,
ultramodern,
all-singing, all-dancing
in the sense of novel
Definition
fresh, new, or original
Clubs are always looking at novel ways to raise cash.
Synonyms
new,
different,
original,
fresh,
unusual,
innovative,
uncommon,
singular,
ground-breaking,
left-field (informal),
strange,
rare,
unfamiliar
in the sense of progressive
Definition
favouring political or social reform
The children go to a progressive school.
Synonyms
enlightened,
liberal,
modern,
advanced,
radical,
enterprising,
go-ahead,
revolutionary,
dynamic,
avant-garde,
reformist,
up-and-coming,
forward-looking
in the sense of radical
Definition
favouring fundamental change in political or social conditions
political tension between radical and conservative politicians
Synonyms
revolutionary,
reforming,
extreme,
militant,
progressive,
left-wing,
extremist,
reformist,
fanatical,
swivel-eyed (slang)
in the sense of radical
Definition
searching or thorough
the radical differences between them
Synonyms
fundamental,
natural,
basic,
essential,
native,
constitutional,
organic,
profound,
innate,
deep-seated,
thoroughgoing,
hard-wired
in the sense of seditious
He fell under suspicion for distributing seditious pamphlets.
Synonyms
revolutionary,
dissident,
subversive,
rebellious,
disloyal,
mutinous,
refractory,
treasonable,
insubordinate
in the sense of subversive
Definition
intended or intending to weaken or overthrow a government or an institution
The play was promptly banned as subversive and possibly treasonous.