revolutionary

1 of 2

adjective

rev·​o·​lu·​tion·​ary ˌre-və-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce revolutionary (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or constituting a revolution
revolutionary war
b
: tending to or promoting revolution
c
: constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change
a revolutionary new product
2
capitalized : of or relating to the American Revolution or to the period in which it occurred
revolutionarily adverb
revolutionariness noun

revolutionary

2 of 2

noun

plural revolutionaries
1
: one engaged in a revolution
2
: an advocate or adherent of revolutionary doctrines

Examples of revolutionary in a Sentence

Adjective a candidate with a lot of crazy, revolutionary ideas that no one seems to be going for revolutionary forces that were soundly defeated before reaching the capital Noun after the collapse of the Russian monarchy, the moderate socialists briefly governed until being overthrown by the Bolshevik revolutionaries at first the government was not worried about this small band of unarmed revolutionaries
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
His revolutionary findings earned him criticism. Anna Marija Helt, JSTOR Daily, 17 Sep. 2025 Alani iLongwe’s physical range in his portrayal of Oshoosi Size was remarkable on its own, but in the realm of off-broadway theater, it could also be seen as revolutionary. Essence, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
But Anderson also knows that the moral purity of revolutionaries gets boring pretty fast. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Sep. 2025 Based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland, the thriller focuses on a group of ex-revolutionaries who reunite to face an enemy resurfacing after 16 years. Jen Juneau, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for revolutionary

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

revolution + -ary entry 2

Noun

revolution + -ary entry 1, after French révolutionnaire

First Known Use

Adjective

1718, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of revolutionary was in 1718

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Cite this Entry

“Revolutionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revolutionary. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

revolutionary

adjective
rev·​o·​lu·​tion·​ary
ˌrev-ə-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē
1
a
: of, relating to, or involving a revolution
revolutionary war
b
: favoring revolution
c
: being or bringing about a big or important change
a revolutionary new product
2
capitalized : of or relating to the American Revolution
revolutionary noun

More from Merriam-Webster on revolutionary

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