revolutionary
B2Formal/Neutral. Common in political, academic, and technological discourse.
Definition
Meaning
relating to or causing a dramatic, radical, and often violent change in a political or social system; advocating for or characterized by revolution.
Involving or causing a complete or dramatic change in a field of study, technology, or ideas (e.g., a revolutionary new method).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, it refers to a person who advocates or engages in revolution. As an adjective, it describes something that causes a complete change. It can carry positive (innovative, groundbreaking) or negative (subversive, violent) connotations depending on context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and usage are identical. Pronunciations differ slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
In both varieties, political connotations may be stronger in contexts with a history of recent revolution. 'Revolutionary' in business/tech contexts is universally positive.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties, with a slight uptick in US usage linked to its historical founding narrative.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
revolutionary (adjective) + nounbe + revolutionarya revolutionary in somethingdeem/consider something revolutionaryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms for this word; often appears in set phrases like 'revolutionary road']”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Describing a disruptive product or business model (e.g., 'a revolutionary app').
Academic
Describing a paradigm shift in theory or methodology.
Everyday
Often used hyperbolically for anything perceived as very new and different.
Technical
In engineering/science, describes a fundamental breakthrough.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The group sought to revolutionaryise the industry's approach.
American English
- The tech aims to revolutionize how we communicate.
adverb
British English
- The system was revolutionarily simple.
American English
- The product is revolutionarily different.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The phone was a revolutionary invention.
- They learned about the Revolutionary War.
- His ideas were considered revolutionary at the time.
- The scientist proposed a revolutionary new theory.
- The party's manifesto promised revolutionary changes to the tax system.
- She was a key figure in the revolutionary movement.
- While hailed as revolutionary by its proponents, the policy faced fierce criticism for its potential social disruption.
- The artist's work was revolutionary in its rejection of classical forms.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a REVOLVER (a gun) turning - a revolution 'turns over' the old system. REVOLUTION + ary (like 'dictionary' or 'visionary').
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANGE IS A CIRCULAR JOURNEY / OVERTHROWING IS UPENDING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'evolutionary' (эволюционный).
- В русском 'революционный' часто имеет более узкий политический оттенок; в английском шире (технологии, идеи).
- Как существительное - 'революционер', но может звучать книжно.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: *revolutianary, *revolutionery.
- Using 'revolutionary' for minor changes (overuse).
- Confusing 'revolutionary' (complete change) with 'evolutionary' (gradual change).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be described as 'revolutionary'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its core meaning is political, it is frequently used in technology, science, and business to describe any radical, transformative change.
Yes, depending on perspective. A 'revolutionary' can be a freedom fighter or a dangerous insurgent. Context and the speaker's viewpoint determine the connotation.
Both imply fundamental change, but 'revolutionary' often suggests a complete overthrow of an existing system, while 'radical' can mean thoroughgoing change from the roots up, not necessarily through violent overthrow.
In British English, it's typically /ʃən.ər.i/ with a clear /ə/ in the third syllable. In American English, it often sounds like /ʃə.ner.i/, where the third and fourth syllables merge towards 'ner-ee'.
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