bolshevik: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Historical, Political, Formal, Often Derogatory
Quick answer
What does “bolshevik” mean?
A member of the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party (later the Communist Party), which seized power in the October Revolution of 1917.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A member of the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party (later the Communist Party), which seized power in the October Revolution of 1917.
Any radical, revolutionary, or extremist person, especially in politics; used as a general (often derogatory) term for a left-wing revolutionary.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Slightly more frequent in UK political discourse due to historical ties and left-wing political terminology.
Connotations
Equally strong historical and pejorative connotations in both dialects.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but may appear marginally more in British historical/political commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “bolshevik” in a Sentence
[Adjective] Bolshevik (revolutionary)Bolshevik [Noun] (leader/takeover)accuse someone of being a BolshevikVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bolshevik” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The movement sought to bolshevise the trade unions. (rare, historical)
American English
- They accused him of trying to bolshevize the committee. (rare, historical)
adverb
British English
- (Virtually nonexistent. Possible but highly unnatural: 'He acted bolshevikly.')
American English
- (Virtually nonexistent)
adjective
British English
- He was expelled for his bolshevik sympathies.
- The plan was dismissed as a bolshevik fantasy.
American English
- She launched a bolshevik-style purge of the management team.
- The critic took a bolshevik position on reform.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; only metaphorically: 'The new CEO has a Bolshevik approach to restructuring.'
Academic
Common in historical, political science, and Slavic studies contexts with precise reference.
Everyday
Rare; used as a strong political insult or historical reference.
Technical
Specific to historical/political discourse, not in STEM fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bolshevik”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bolshevik”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bolshevik”
- Spelling: 'Bolshevic', 'Bolshevick'.
- Capitalisation: Must be capitalised when referring to the historical party member (Bolshevik). Can be lowercase in metaphorical use (a bolshevik approach).
- Using it as a synonym for any modern Russian person or politician.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Historically, a Bolshevik was a specific member of the faction that became the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 'Communist' is a broader term for adherents of communist ideology worldwide, before and after 1917.
In contemporary English, outside of strict historical reference, it is almost always used as a pejorative term to label someone as destructively radical or extremist.
It is a direct transliteration from the Russian Cyrillic letter 'в', which is pronounced like English 'v'. The 'w' sound does not exist in standard Russian.
Yes, the term is gender-neutral. The specific feminine form 'Bolshevichka' exists in Russian but is almost never used in English. One would simply say 'a female Bolshevik' or 'she was a Bolshevik'.
A member of the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party (later the Communist Party), which seized power in the October Revolution of 1917.
Bolshevik is usually historical, political, formal, often derogatory in register.
Bolshevik: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɒlʃəvɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈboʊlʃəvɪk/ || /ˈbɑːlʃəvɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Old Bolshevik (a long-standing, ideologically committed member)”
- “Bolshevik mentality (rigid, revolutionary thinking)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: The BOLSHEVIKs were the BULK (majority) who believed in a violent REVOLUTION.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL EXTREMISM IS BOLSHEVISM. (e.g., 'He's a bit of a grammar Bolshevik, insisting on absolute rules.')
Practice
Quiz
In modern metaphorical use, 'bolshevik' most closely implies: