1
as in radical
being very far from the center of public opinion
a candidate with a lot of crazy, revolutionary ideas that no one seems to be going for
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in insurgent
taking part in a rebellion
revolutionary forces that were soundly defeated before reaching the capital
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in rebel
a person who favors rapid and sweeping changes especially in laws and methods of government
after the collapse of the Russian monarchy, the moderate socialists briefly governed until being overthrown by the Bolshevik revolutionaries
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revolutionist
a person who rises up against authority
at first the government was not worried about this small band of unarmed revolutionaries
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of revolutionary
Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 3 Jan. 2025
During the Mao years, China styled itself as a revolutionary country, bent on challenging the existing international system and its institutions dominated by the United States and other Western capitalist countries.
—Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2025
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
America’s revolutionaries were not a uniform bunch of Christian white guys.
—Adam Jortner, The Conversation, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for revolutionary 
Adjective
Twenty years ago, Brazil started what was then a revolutionary program.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 3 Jan. 2025
During the Mao years, China styled itself as a revolutionary country, bent on challenging the existing international system and its institutions dominated by the United States and other Western capitalist countries.
—Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
As a portrait of young revolutionaries, Say Nothing crackles with the thrill and romance of committing one’s life to an armed cause.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
America’s revolutionaries were not a uniform bunch of Christian white guys.
—Adam Jortner, The Conversation, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for revolutionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revolutionary
Adjective
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Before puberty, there is no radical contrast in athletic performances between boys and girls.—
Louisa Thomas,
The New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2025
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But a complicating factor for Fed forecasters and officials is that Trump can move forward with new tariffs without congressional approval, leading to potentially radical changes virtually overnight.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Burrows' win marks a defeat for the insurgent right wing of the GOP that eschewed working with Democrats.—
Shafaq Patel,
Axios,
15 Jan. 2025
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Members of the insurgent forces also told NBC News that bombing by Russian aircraft overnight also focused on the Rustan bridge along the main route to Homs, presumably in a bid to slow the rebels' advance.—
Ammar Cheikh Omar,
NBC News,
6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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However, the rebels continue to launch attacks aimed at Israel, which has vowed to retaliate against Houthi leadership in the event of further aggression.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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The four female protagonists in Nails rebel against society’s expectations of them with consequences for themselves and family and friends.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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However, these approaches can face challenges, including limited effectiveness in mitigating the sharp, high-frequency impact noises of pickleball and having potential durability issues in extreme weather.—
Scott Miller,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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There, back-to-back wet winters triggered last year’s extreme land movement that warped roads, cracked houses and transformed landscapes.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The proposals infuriated members of the Freedom Caucus, many of whom had engaged in those kind of rebellious actions over the past two years.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
21 Jan. 2025
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Saturn, the planet of structure and discipline, adds a sense of responsibility while rebellious Uranus, the planet of innovation and change, inspires this Air sign to think outside the box and embrace individual freedom.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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And many revolutionists think that new equipment has changed the patterns of advance and retreat in Ukraine relative to historical experience.—
Stephen Biddle,
Foreign Affairs,
10 Aug. 2023
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As the head of China’s Nationalist government, Chiang and his party were trying to establish control in a nation divided among revolutionists, nationalists, Indigenous warlords, and a developing communist army and government.—
Susan Tate Ankeny,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 Apr. 2024
Noun
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Naturally, that makes a hero of the last president to pull it off — even if McKinley did so reluctantly and had more than a few regrets before he was assassinated by an anarchist.—
David E. Sanger,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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Her latest tells the story of a real-life 1895 railroad disaster — captured for posterity in a series of photos — from the perspectives of those aboard, including a medical student, a young anarchist, and members of the French Parliament.—
Chris Vognar,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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When the pendulum swung during the Progressive Era, reformers pushed the government to impose new rules that gave workers a better quality of life and a fairer chance at upward mobility.—
Peter Georgescu,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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MacKay went to Congress in 1982 and became a budget and spending reformer and helped to deauthorize the Cross-Florida Barge Canal.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near revolutionary
Cite this Entry
“Revolutionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/revolutionary. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
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