revolutionary

American  

[rev-uh-loo-shuh-ner-ee] / ˌrɛv əˈlu ʃəˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of a revolution, or a sudden, complete, or marked change.

   a revolutionary junta.

2. radically new or innovative; outside or beyond established procedure, principles, etc..

   a revolutionary discovery.

   Synonyms:

   unorthodox, drastic, novel, unprecedented

3. (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.

4. revolving.

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noun

plural

revolutionaries

1. a revolutionist.

revolutionary ¹ British  

/ ˌrɛvəˈluːʃənərɪ /

noun

1. a person who advocates or engages in revolution

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adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of a revolution

2. advocating or engaged in revolution

3. radically new or different

   a revolutionary method of making plastics

4. rotating or revolving

Revolutionary ² British  

/ ˌrɛvəˈluːʃənərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the conflict or period of the War of American Independence (1775–83)

2. of or relating to any of various other Revolutions, esp the Russian Revolution (1917) or the French Revolution (1789)

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Other Word Forms

• antirevolutionary noun
• nonrevolutionary adjective
• post-Revolutionary adjective
• prerevolutionary adjective
• prorevolutionary adjective
• revolutionarily adverb
• revolutionariness noun
• semirevolutionary adjective
• ultrarevolutionary adjective
• unrevolutionary adjective

Etymology

Origin of revolutionary

First recorded in 1765–75; revolution + -ary

Example Sentences

Magyar's slogan dates back to a revolutionary poet's 19th Century rallying cry to rise up for the homeland.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Thanks to revolutionary new treatments for my illness, many of which have been developed only in the time since I was diagnosed, that was more than 20 years ago.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

The Harvard fellow was a scholar on treating disaster zone victims, but had been sentenced to death by a revolutionary court in Tehran for espionage charges he denied.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Such talk rattles many here who grew up in a country where government buildings still bear the revolutionary motto: “Homeland or death, we will prevail.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

In addition to seeming eternal, ubiquitous, protean, and endlessly quotable, Franklin had the most sophisticated sense of timing among all the prominent statesmen of the revolutionary era.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• contemporary
• innovative
• modern
• radical