mutiny

1 of 2

noun

mu·​ti·​ny ˈmyü-tə-nē 

ˈmyüt-nē

plural mutinies

1

: forcible or passive resistance to lawful authority

especially : concerted (see concerted sense 1) revolt (as of a naval crew) against discipline or a superior officer

The sailors staged a mutiny and took control of the ship.

2

obsolete : tumult, strife

mutiny

2 of 2

verb

mutinied; mutinying; mutinies

intransitive verb

: to rise against or refuse to obey or observe authority

He mutinied not just against God but against the older generation of Romanian intellectuals.

—Will Blythe

specifically, of soldiers, sailors, etc. : to rebel against military authority : to stage a mutiny

Months wore on, and about half of [Christopher] Columbus's men mutinied and tried to sail by canoe to Hispaniola.

—Owen Gingerich

In April 1779 a draft of sixty men from the 71st Highlanders mutinied when they were told they were to go to America and refused to march aboard the transports.

—Christopher Hibbert

Synonyms

Noun

• insurgence
• insurgency
• insurrection
• outbreak
• rebellion
• revolt
• revolution
• rising
• uprising

Verb

• rebel
• revolt

Choose the Right Synonym for mutiny

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 mutiny in a Sentence

Noun

The mutiny was led by the ship's cook.

The sailors staged a mutiny and took control of the ship.

Verb

the party's conservative faction mutinied just before the election

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the past, this would have sparked mutiny in Brazil, but those France and Spain knockout ties have shifted public opinion. —Jack Lang, The Athletic, 8 Aug. 2024

The man has spent the entire season walking up to the edge of mutiny only to retreat. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2024

Verb

French sailors aboard two ships off the Crimean Peninsula mutinied, pulled down the tricolor, ran up the Red flag and then went ashore to join a pro-Bolshevik demonstration. —Thomas E. Ricks, New York Times, 19 May 2024

In early November, as the German naval command contemplated initiating a final climactic and likely suicidal attack on the British fleet, German sailors mutinied in the city of Kiel, leading to a wider revolution. —Max Bergmann, Foreign Affairs, 18 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

mutine to rebel, from Middle French (se) mutiner, from mutin mutinous, from meute revolt, from Vulgar Latin *movita, from feminine of movitus, alteration of Latin motus, past participle of movēre to move

First Known Use

Noun

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1584, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mutiny

noun

mu·​ti·​ny ˈmyüt-ᵊn-ē 

ˈmyüt-nē

plural mutinies

: refusal to obey authority

especially : a military outbreak against the officer in charge

mutiny verb