Lenin

American  

[len-in, lye-nyin] / ˈlɛn ɪn, ˈlyɛ nyɪn /

noun

1. V(ladimir) I(lyich) Vladimir Ilyich UlyanovN. Lenin, 1870–1924, Russian revolutionary leader: Soviet premier 1918–24.

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Lenin British  

/ ˈlɛnɪn /

noun

1. Vladimir Ilyich (vlaˈdimir iljˈjitʃ), original surname Ulyanov. 1870–1924, Russian statesman and Marxist theoretician; first premier of the Soviet Union. He formed the Bolsheviks (1903) and led them in the October Revolution (1917), which established the Soviet Government. He adopted the New Economic Policy (1921) after the Civil War had led to the virtual collapse of the Russian economy, formed the Comintern (1919), and was the originator of the guiding doctrine of the Soviet Union, Marxism-Leninism. After the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, many statues of Lenin were demolished

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Lenin Cultural  

1. A Russian revolutionary leader of the early twentieth century, highly honored in the former Soviet Union as the founder of the modern Soviet state. Lenin, a founder of the Bolshevik party, contributed much to the success of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Lenin held that a dedicated group of intellectuals had to spearhead the revolution. He became chief of government of the Soviet Union after the revolution and served until his death in 1924. Joseph Stalin succeeded him. Lenin's real name was Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov.

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Compare meaning

How does lenin compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Lenin vs. Trotsky

Example Sentences

Krauze joined what was then called the Vladimir Lenin shipyard in 1983, first in a coal-fired boiler room and later operating a crane.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

It pounced upon the coincidence that James Joyce, the Dada poet and essayist Tristan Tzara and Vladimir Lenin were all living in Zurich in 1917.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

"Travesties" two years later, imagined a meeting between Lenin, James Joyce and poet and founder of the Dada movement Tristan Tzara, who all lived in Zurich in 1917.

From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025

From Lenin they drew the idea of mobilizing the working class to undermine existing capitalist structures.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 13, 2025

Soviet soldiers guarding the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow, 1989.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau