revolutionary

¹rev·o·lu·tion·ary

adj \-shə-ˌner-ē\

Definition of REVOLUTIONARY

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

— rev·o·lu·tion·ar·i·ly \-ˌlü-shə-ˈner-ə-lē\ adverb

— rev·o·lu·tion·ar·i·ness \-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē-nəs\ noun

Examples of REVOLUTIONARY

1. <a candidate with a lot of crazy, revolutionary ideas that no one seems to be going for>
2. <revolutionary forces that were soundly defeated before reaching the capital>

First Known Use of REVOLUTIONARY

1774

Related to REVOLUTIONARY

Synonyms: extremist, fanatic (or fanatical), rabid, radical, extreme, revolutionist, ultra

Antonyms: middle-of-the-road, nonrevolutionary, unrevolutionary

Related Words: subversive, violent, wild; reactionary

Near Antonyms: conservative, moderate, temperate; conventional, orthodox, traditional; liberal, progressive

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other History Terms

agonistic, carpetbagger, enceinte, fief, historiography, paladin

Rhymes with REVOLUTIONARY

beneficiary, devolutionary, eleemosynary, evidentiary, evolutionary, extraliterary, insurrectionary, intermediary, paramilitary, penitentiary, quatercentenary, sesquicentenary, supernumerary, valetudinary