of, pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of a revolution, or a sudden, complete, or marked change.
a revolutionary junta.
radically new or innovative; outside or beyond established procedure, principles, etc..
a revolutionary discovery.
(initial capital letter) of or relating to the American Revolution or to the period contemporaneous with it in U.S. history.
Revolutionary heroes; Revolutionary weapons.
relating to or characteristic of a revolution
advocating or engaged in revolution
radically new or different
a revolutionary method of making plastics
rotating or revolving
of or relating to the conflict or period of the War of American Independence (1775–83)
of or relating to any of various other Revolutions, esp the Russian Revolution (1917) or the French Revolution (1789)
First recorded in 1765–75; revolution + -ary
A revolutionary person fearlessly advocates radical change. Revolutionary people and ideas challenge the status quo and might be violent or willing to upset the natural order to achieve their goals. Like the word revolve, it's all about turning things around. Revolutionary leaders want to change the world by any means necessary. Before he was the coolest face on a T-shirt, Che Guevara was ready to die for change in South America (and in fact, he did). You don't need to be violent to be revolutionary, just ask Gandhi and Rev. Martin Luther King. You don't even need to be political. Alexander McQueen, John Lennon, and Picasso could tell you that.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Wednesday, the U.S. indicted Cuba’s Raúl Castro, the 94-year-old brother of the late revolutionary leader Fidel, on charges of ordering civilian aircraft shot down near the island nation in 1996.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
In 2024, computer scientist Sir Demis Hassabis shared the Nobel prize for Chemistry for "revolutionary" work on proteins, the building blocks of life.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
From that foundation, using a "six-second rule" to regain lost possession, Guardiola has produced brushstrokes of tactical brilliance that his peers accept were ingenious and revolutionary.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
There is nothing revolutionary about Stripling’s message: limit the flashy spending now in favor of prudent savings and investment, so you can grow your money through and beyond your career.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Along with most of the Virginia dynasty, however, his ascent into the revolutionary elite was not the exclusive function of talent and virtue.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
