Revolutionary War

American  

noun

1. American Revolution.

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Revolutionary War Cultural  

1. The war for American independence from Britain. The fighting began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775, and lasted through the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. General George Washington commanded the American forces, assisted by Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, Horatio Gates, John Paul Jones, and others. The leaders of the British included Charles Cornwallis, John Burgoyne, Thomas Gage, and William Howe, among others. The American cause was greatly aided by French ships and troops and by the presence of the French nobleman and soldier the Marquis de Lafayette. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 officially ended the war. (See Battle of Bunker Hill and Battle of Saratoga.)

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Etymology

Origin of Revolutionary War

1790–1800;

Example Sentences

The Revolutionary War opened the West to conquest and settlement but also exposed its dangers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

That hasn’t stopped Americans from pushing back against the certainty of taxes—death is another matter—since the cry of “no taxation without representation” helped spark the Revolutionary War.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

The final season focuses on Claire and Jamie’s struggles during the Revolutionary War, with the war having followed them home.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

In her remarks, Machado described the story of military general who fought in America's Revolutionary War who had given a medal to Simon Bolivar, one of the founding father's of modern Venezuela.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

Direct your attention to the wallpaper with its Revolutionary War motif.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides