seditionary: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / ArchaicFormal / Historical / Legal
Quick answer
What does “seditionary” mean?
A person who engages in or promotes sedition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who engages in or promotes sedition; a rebel or agitator against established authority.
Someone who incites resistance to or rebellion against a government or other authority, typically through speech or writing, but stopping short of overt violent insurrection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally rare in both varieties. American usage may have a stronger historical association with the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798). British usage may evoke historical contexts like Tudor or Stuart England.
Connotations
Formal, legalistic, historical. May carry a slightly archaic or literary tone.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary use. More likely found in historical texts, legal history, or academic discourse than in modern news or speech.
Grammar
How to Use “seditionary” in a Sentence
[seditionary] + [prepositional phrase: against the crown/state]the [adjective] [seditionary] was [verb: arrested, tried, executed]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “seditionary” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pamphlet sought to seditionary the populace. (Note: This usage is grammatically possible but extraordinarily rare.)
American English
- The act was designed to seditionary the troops. (Note: This usage is grammatically possible but extraordinarily rare.)
adverb
British English
- He spoke seditionarily against the monarch. (Note: Extremely rare/archaic; 'seditiously' is standard.)
American English
- They acted seditionarily to undermine the government. (Note: Extremely rare/archaic; 'seditiously' is standard.)
adjective
British English
- His seditionary writings led to his arrest. (Note: 'seditious' is the standard adjective; 'seditionary' as an adjective is rare/archaic.)
American English
- The group was accused of seditionary activities. (Note: 'seditious' is the standard adjective; 'seditionary' as an adjective is rare/archaic.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, legal, or political science texts discussing rebellion, treason, or state control of speech.
Everyday
Extremely unlikely to be used; 'troublemaker' or 'rebel' would be preferred.
Technical
A technical/archaic term in legal history for a specific type of offender against the state.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “seditionary”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “seditionary”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “seditionary”
- Misspelling as 'sedtionary' (dropping the 'i').
- Confusing with 'sedentary' (inactive).
- Using it as a common modern synonym for 'protester' (it is far more severe and specific).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and considered archaic or historical. The adjective 'seditious' and phrases like 'seditious person' or 'agitator' are far more common.
A seditionary incites rebellion or resistance against authority (often through speech/writing), while a traitor commits treason, typically by betraying their country to an enemy, which is a more severe and often overtly actionable crime.
Historically, yes, but it is now very rare and non-standard. The universally accepted adjective is 'seditious' (e.g., seditious libel, seditious conspiracy).
Not necessarily. Sedition often involves language, propaganda, or organisation intended to incite resistance or rebellion, which may or may not lead directly to violence. It is the incitement that is key.
A person who engages in or promotes sedition.
Seditionary is usually formal / historical / legal in register.
Seditionary: in British English it is pronounced /sɪˈdɪʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/, and in American English it is pronounced /səˈdɪʃəˌnɛri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms feature this specific word.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: SEDITIONary – someone who commits SEDITION, which sounds like 'see-DISH-un' – imagine someone stirring a pot (of dish) to create trouble against the government.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE STATE IS A BODY (A seditionary is a disease or poison within the body politic).
Practice
Quiz
In modern legal contexts, which term has largely replaced 'seditionary'?