revel
verb (used without object)
to take great pleasure or delight (usually followed byin ).
revel
1 American
[rev-uhl]
/ ˈrɛv əl /
verb (used without object)
-
revels,
present (3rd person singular)
-
reveled,
past participle, past
-
revelled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
reveling,
present participle
-
revelling
present participle (especially British)
noun
-
revels
plural
-
boisterous merrymaking or festivity; revelry.
-
Often revels an occasion of merrymaking or noisy festivity with dancing, masking, etc.
Revel
2
American
[rey-vuhl, rye-vyil]
/ ˈreɪ vəl, ˈrjɛ vjɪl /
noun
revel
British
/ ˈrɛvəl /
verb
-
(foll by in) to take pleasure or wallow
to revel in success
-
to take part in noisy festivities; make merry
noun
-
(often plural) an occasion of noisy merrymaking
-
a less common word for revelry
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
revelsimple
-
revelssimple
-
have reveledperfect
-
have revelledperfect
-
has reveledperfect
-
has revelledperfect
-
am revelingprogressive
-
am revellingprogressive
-
are revelingprogressive
-
are revellingprogressive
-
is revelingprogressive
-
is revellingprogressive
-
have been revelingperfect progressive
-
have been revellingperfect progressive
-
has been revelingperfect progressive
-
has been revellingperfect progressive
Past
-
reveledsimple
-
revelledsimple
-
had reveledperfect
-
had revelledperfect
-
was revelingprogressive
-
was revellingprogressive
-
were revelingprogressive
-
were revellingprogressive
-
had been revelingperfect progressive
-
had been revellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of revel
First recorded in 1275–1325; (for the verb) Middle English revelen, from Old French reveler “to raise tumult, make merry,” from Latin rebellāre “to wage war again” ( rebel ); noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
Revel means to take great pleasure. If you revel in something, you're not just pleased or even excited; you're overwhelmed by joy. It used to mean riotous merry-making. Now it means to bask in the self-reflected glow of your own pleasure. You revel in your victory lap after winning the race. Your brother is constantly on your case for being clumsy, so when he knocks down a table filled with glassware, you revel in it. Think of it as a high level of pleasure.
Vocabulary lists containing revel
Romeo and Juliet
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Some speculated it might be a chemical spill, while others appeared to revel in the novelty of the scene.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Once the final track has been played, “F.I.G” beckons us to replay, revel in our emotions and dance once, maybe twice or thrice, more.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
Thousands of people poured into the streets of Paris for the match and to revel in PSG's triumph in the final held in the Hungarian capital Budapest late Saturday.
From Barron's ● May 31, 2026
This is exactly the sentiment so many Eurovision enthusiasts revel in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
How I used to revel in such bitter little snobberies myself; how eay they were, once.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Another regular is Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, a family friend whose son Revel also plays music with Shane.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Ending the day with some wordplay: Revel in the weirdness of the English language with Slate’s newest game, SoundBites!
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
“The audience knows if you’re authentic or not,” says Ryan Revel, a talent manager who represents “The Challenge” alum Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio and former “Vanderpump Rules” stars Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute and Jax Taylor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will all return to the new series when it launches in the autumn.
From BBC ● May 19, 2026
"The passions of the common or house domestic," said Revel, and recovered possession of the table.
From Kipps The Story of a Simple Soul by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
Like pretty much every good, bad and ludicrous shark film ever, “The Devil’s Mouth” opens with carefree revels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
The film revels in languid establishing shots of the Santa Clara Valley, with the hilly Diablo Range in the background.
From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026
Heidegger became known as the master of the revels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Ortiz’s show premiering at the Joy Who Lived Festival revels in the unhinged and urges people to judge each other for past messes with the opportunity to redeem oneself through comedy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026
“Our revels now are ended,” Prospero had said.
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
For years, Surf City conservatives like Gates have reveled in playing the burr in the saddle of deep blue California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
Bridgeman, a 26-year-old American chasing his first PGA Tour title, said the same, but he reveled in the challenge.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
For his part, Bezos has reveled in his measured approach, adopting tortoise as his company’s mascot.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026
As entrepreneurs, investors and students reveled in its potential, veteran healthcare leaders wondered whether this time would be different.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 8, 2026
A sane person would have reveled in seeing Marcus brought so low, but I hated him that way.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
Other publications have revelled in how Sturgeon has given interviews against a backdrop of stolen books in stolen bookcases, or offered cups of coffee to journalists from a coffee machine Murrell bought with stolen money.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Fury revelled in the spotlight at Monday's news conference, delivering his trademark long and winding answers as he came face-to-face with Makhmudov at the north London venue.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026
With Jude Bellingham out injured and Mbappe sitting on the bench, Vinicius seemed to have more freedom to roam and revelled in being the key attacking figure.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
And he revelled in his new role as would-be peacemaker-in-chief.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2026
The fight which I revelled in appears to me now a squabble made ignoble with intrigues, bitter with mean disappointments, the victory not worth the fight.
From The Turnstile by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason
I should be reveling in the gourmet–soda parade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
But the billionaire Republican is also reveling in the macho side of an event that will see bare-knuckle fighters battle it out in a mesh-framed cage known as the "Octagon."
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
Two years later, the Quigleys are reveling in the Sunshine State’s education freedom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
While Gandbhir isn’t reveling in their pain, she refuses to cut away, creating a devastating and altogether mystifying section of the film that overwhelms her larger message.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2025
She was reveling in the brilliance of this plan when Drew stopped walking.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
Embedded with Team Scotland, back home among his own people, and absolutely revelling in it.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
Italy's cricketers have been revelling in plenty of "pinch me" moments during their debut appearance at the T20 World Cup, and now they want more.
From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026
Jesus's first goal since January 1 left Arteta wreathed in smiles and Watkins' close-range strike in stoppage-time couldn't stop Arsenal revelling in their statement victory.
From Barron's ● Dec. 30, 2025
Verstappen, going for a fifth consecutive crown, is simply revelling in being in a position to win a title that he has spent most of the year thinking was out of reach.
From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2025
It was thus that our hero passed a portion of his first Canadian winter, revelling in the brisk atmosphere and in his work, boon companion to every member of the lumber gang.
From A Boy of the Dominion A Tale of Canadian Immigration by F. S. (Frederick Sadleir) Brereton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
