verb
Common
revolt
rih-VOHLT
Revolt (verb) means to rise up in rebellion against authority. Example: “The soldiers refused orders and began to revolt against their officers.”
verb
1
To rise up in rebellion against authority.
"The soldiers refused orders and began to revolt against their officers."
"Workers may revolt if the bosses keep cutting their pay."
"The colonies eventually revolted against their rulers."
2
To cause strong disgust in someone.
"The sight of the rotten food revolted him."
"The smell from the bins revolted her."
noun
1
An uprising or act of rebellion.
"The king crushed the revolt before it could reach the capital."
"A revolt among the crew forced the captain to turn back."
"The peasant revolt spread quickly through the countryside."
How to use revolt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither to rebel against authority, or to disgust someone.
Common pairings
revolt against
peasant revolt
crush a revolt
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Word forms
- Plural
- revolts
- Third person singular
- revolts
- Past tense
- revolted
- Archaic forms
- revoltest, revoltedst, revolteth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The soldiers refused orders and began to _____ against their officers.
Etymology
Borrowed from French révolter, from Italian rivoltare, related to Latin revolvere, "to roll back".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “revolt” mean?
The word “revolt” means to rise up in rebellion against authority. In plain terms, either to rebel against authority, or to disgust someone.
How do you pronounce “revolt”?
“Revolt” is pronounced rih-VOHLT (/ɹɪˈvoʊlt/ in IPA).
How do you use “revolt” in a sentence?
Here is “revolt” used in a sentence: “The colonies eventually revolted against their rulers.”
What part of speech is “revolt”?
Depending on how it is used, “revolt” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “revolt” come from?
The word “revolt” comes from Latin. Borrowed from French révolter, from Italian rivoltare, related to Latin revolvere, "to roll back".
Is “revolt” a common word?
“Revolt” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “revolt” have?
“Revolt” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to rise up in rebellion against authority.
What is the difference between revolt and rebellion?
Revolt and rebellion both describe rising up against authority, and are close synonyms, though revolt often suggests a sudden, forceful uprising while rebellion can describe a more sustained or organized resistance movement. Both can be used as nouns for the uprising itself.
Can revolt mean to disgust someone?
Yes, revolt has a second meaning: to cause strong disgust in someone, as in "the smell revolted her." This sense is unrelated to rebellion and instead describes a strong negative reaction of repulsion.
What is the difference between revolt and riot?
Revolt refers to rising up in rebellion against authority, often with a specific political or organized goal, while a riot describes violent, disorderly public behaviour that may or may not target authority directly. A revolt is typically more focused and purposeful than a riot.
