glorious revolution: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Academic / Historical
Quick answer
What does “glorious revolution” mean?
The bloodless overthrow of King James II of England by William of Orange and his wife Mary in 1688-1689, establishing a constitutional monarchy.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The bloodless overthrow of King James II of England by William of Orange and his wife Mary in 1688-1689, establishing a constitutional monarchy.
A term used metaphorically to describe any significant, peaceful political change that is seen as positive and foundational. In historical discourse, it refers specifically to the events that established parliamentary supremacy and Protestant succession in Britain.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in reference to the historical event. In metaphorical use, slightly more common in British political commentary.
Connotations
In British context, carries strong connotations of national foundational myth, constitutional liberty, and peaceful progress. In American context, often taught as a precursor to their own revolution.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK educational and historical texts; in US, primarily encountered in world history or advanced placement courses.
Grammar
How to Use “glorious revolution” in a Sentence
[The] Glorious Revolution [verb]...Following the Glorious Revolution,...A key figure in the Glorious Revolution was...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “glorious revolution” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The monarchy was fundamentally 'Glorious Revolution-ed', for lack of a better term, by the 1689 settlement.
adjective
British English
- The post-Glorious Revolution constitution evolved over decades.
American English
- The Glorious Revolution-era documents are crucial to our understanding.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. Potential metaphorical use in 'a glorious revolution in our corporate strategy' (highly stylized).
Academic
Primary context. Used in history, political science, and law to discuss constitutional development, sovereignty, and the Enlightenment.
Everyday
Rare. Only used by individuals with specific historical knowledge or in political analogy.
Technical
Used in historiography to denote a specific period and its interpretations (e.g., Whig vs. revisionist views).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “glorious revolution”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “glorious revolution”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “glorious revolution”
- Writing in lower case ('glorious revolution').
- Confusing it with the English Civil War or the American Revolution.
- Using 'The' inconsistently (it is part of the proper name).
- Mis-dating it (commonly 1688, but settlement completed in 1689).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It was termed 'glorious' by later Whig historians because it was achieved with minimal bloodshed and was seen as securing Protestant liberties against Catholic absolutism.
There was virtually no fighting in England itself, making it 'bloodless'. However, there were subsequent conflicts in Scotland and Ireland (e.g., the Battle of the Boyne).
The English Civil War (1642-1651) was a violent conflict between King and Parliament, resulting in the king's execution and a republic. The Glorious Revolution (1688) was a swift, near-bloodless overthrow of a king seen as a threat to the Protestant establishment, replacing him with a different monarch under new constitutional conditions.
It influenced American political thought by establishing ideas of a contract between ruler and people, the right of resistance, and parliamentary sovereignty. These ideas later contributed to the intellectual climate of the American Revolution. Colonial charters were also affected by the change in monarchs.
The bloodless overthrow of King James II of England by William of Orange and his wife Mary in 1688-1689, establishing a constitutional monarchy.
Glorious revolution is usually academic / historical in register.
Glorious revolution: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡlɔː.ri.əs ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡlɔːr.i.əs ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A modern Glorious Revolution”
- “Not exactly a Glorious Revolution”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'GLORIOUS' = 'Gave Lords Over Royalty, Instituting Our United Sovereignty' (for the constitutional outcome).
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL CHANGE IS A JOURNEY TO A BETTER PLACE (bloodless, positive, destination reached). A FOUNDATION IS LAID (for modern democracy).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these was a direct result of the Glorious Revolution?