revolt 1 of 2

Definition of revoltnext
as in insurrection
open fighting against authority (as one's own government) soon the revolt had spread to every corner of the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

revolt

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun revolt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of revolt are insurrection, mutiny, rebellion, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

When is it sensible to use mutiny instead of revolt?

The meanings of mutiny and revolt largely overlap; however, mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

When could rebellion be used to replace revolt?

While in some cases nearly identical to revolt, rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

When can revolution be used instead of revolt?

Although the words revolution and revolt have much in common, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

When might uprising be a better fit than revolt?

The synonyms uprising and revolt are sometimes interchangeable, but uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

How does the noun revolt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of revolt are insurrection, mutiny, rebellion, revolution, and uprising. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

When is it sensible to use mutiny instead of revolt?

The meanings of mutiny and revolt largely overlap; however, mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

When could rebellion be used to replace revolt?

While in some cases nearly identical to revolt, rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

When can revolution be used instead of revolt?

Although the words revolution and revolt have much in common, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

When might uprising be a better fit than revolt?

The synonyms uprising and revolt are sometimes interchangeable, but uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of revolt
Noun
The Testaments The Testaments picks up 15 years after The Handmaid’s Tale’s June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) led Boston in a successful revolt against Gilead. Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026 The difference, according to him, is that, unlike Lenin’s Communist revolution, the right-wing revolt will empower people who are good. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
House Republicans are scrambling to find the votes for a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, as conservatives threaten to revolt over the exclusion of funding for deportations and re-up demands that the SAVE America Act be attached. Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026 An end to the partial government shutdown looked to be on the horizon early Friday, March 27, until Republican leaders in the House of Representatives revolted that afternoon, coming out against a deal to end the six-week-long funding crisis at the Department of Homeland Security. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for revolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for revolt
Noun
  • In 2021, she was profiled by multiple magazines for painting the January 6 insurrection.
    Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Facing insurrection charges, Kimbangu was sentenced to death.
    Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The researchers also found that being young, female, and well educated increased the odds that someone would be moist averse, as did being disgusted more generally by bodily functions.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Some were disgusted, while others were filled with joy.
    Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Republicans themselves remain divided over how to proceed, with some hard-right lawmakers already rebelling against the shutdown deal.
    Nik Popli, Time, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The citizens of Iran can’t rebel without bridges and electricity.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The military was brought in to stop the uprising and the conflict evolved into a separatist insurgency.
    Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
  • One example might be the inconvenience caused by a mass political uprising, one that risks the security, safety, and comfort of its participants.
    Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In the mid-19th century, Kasanje was able to repulse a Portuguese military expedition.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.
    Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The ur-mutiny, encompassing some of these, provoking and provoked by others, is MAGA.
    George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
  • That mobility occasionally allowed for communication and coordination during mutinies.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The trial over visitation and grandparents' rights began in October 2025 and has made headlines with Scott claiming his late wife's parents are largely responsible for his wife's death and for gross medical misconduct that sickened his daughter.
    Juliet Pennington, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Those pelican numbers were very high because of a toxic algae bloom off Southern California that sickened the birds with domoic acid poisoning.
    Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Through the personal stories of activists and intense courtroom battles, host Brendan Patrick Hughes explores themes of faith, rebellion, and the complexities of confronting injustice, ultimately offering a compelling blueprint for modern activism.
    Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Focus Features has set a Sept 11 release for the Paul Greengrass directed, Andrew Garfield starring The Uprising, which follows the untold true story of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Revolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/revolt. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

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