mutiny 1 of 2

mutiny

2 of 2

verb

as in to rebel
to rise up against established authority the party's conservative faction mutinied just before the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mutiny differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mutiny are insurrection, rebellion, revolt, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

When could rebellion be used to replace mutiny?

The synonyms rebellion and mutiny are sometimes interchangeable, but rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

How do revolt and insurrection relate to one another, in the sense of mutiny?

Both 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

When is it sensible to use revolution instead of mutiny?

While the synonyms revolution and mutiny are close in meaning, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

When can uprising be used instead of mutiny?

Although the words uprising and mutiny have much in common, uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mutiny
Noun
The Olympic, nearly identical to the Titanic, faced its own challenges following the disaster, including a mutiny among crew members concerned about the lack of lifeboats. Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 The second season ended on a cliffhanger as Gi-hun’s mutiny against the guards of the Games is ultimately thwarted by the Front Man who, unknown to Gi-hun but known to the audience, has been posing as his friend and ally Young-il. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
Within days, however, Congo’s troops mutinied against their all-white officer corps (a holdover from the colonial era) and started terrorizing the European population. Stephen R. Weissman, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2014 After the officer in charge hanged one of the men, the crew mutinied, built their own ship, and sailed home, abandoning the fort some 11 months after their arrival. Shanti Menon, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 See All Example Sentences for mutiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutiny
Noun
  • This change sparked revolt and, eventually, revolution.
    Carla Gardina Pestana, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Carney assumed his role as Liberal leader and prime minister after his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, announced his resignation in January amid a polling slump for the Liberal Party and an internal revolt in his cabinet.
    Max Saltman, CNN, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Major stock indexes have erased their post-electoral gains, as investors rebel against the prospect of higher costs.
    Carlo Angerer, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2025
  • This is not the first time Kidman has played a woman rebelling against the gilded confines of her existence, so the actress delivers a reliably fine performance.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • More recently, in March 2024, his court issued a unanimous decision blocking state-level efforts to bar Trump from the ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause—a ruling that secured Trump’s path to renomination.
    Nik Popli, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Department of Justice expunged the January 6th insurrection from its website, and whitehouse.gov took down an explainer page about the Constitution.
    Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Otherwise, another popular uprising against him could start.
    Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Historically, Neptune in Aries brings uprisings and unforeseen changes, with ideologies and thoughts that veer from the status quo.
    Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Wouldn't that seed resentment and the beginnings of the exact rebellion that takes place?
    Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
  • As Frederick Douglass noted in a June 1854 newspaper editorial, however, many Americans praised Henry’s phrase and the violent rebellion against British oppression while simultaneously decrying violent resistance to slavery.
    Cassandra Good, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Mutiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutiny. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mutiny

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