revolt
To rise in rebellion against an authority or government; (as a noun) an attempt to put an end to the authority of a person or body.
Revolt is a broad, common term for an active, often physical uprising. It can be a large-scale political movement (like a peasant revolt) or a smaller refusal to accept a situation.
Word relationships
- rebel: Rebel is both a noun and verb, highly similar to revolt, but revolt often emphasizes the collective, organized event of the uprising itself.
- uprising: An uprising is a localized, often spontaneous act of popular protest, while a revolt can be more organized and widespread.
- acquiesce: Acquiesce means to accept something reluctantly but without protest.
- submit: Submit means to yield to the authority or will of another.
Commonly confused with
- revolution: A revolt is the act of rebelling, while a revolution is a successful revolt that completely changes the system of government.
Word family
- revolter (noun): A person who revolts; a rebel.
- revolting (adjective): Causing intense disgust; disgusting (derived from the idea of turning away in disgust).
Collocations
- stage a revolt
- crush a revolt
- popular revolt
- revolt against
Example sentences
- "The peasants' revolt of 1381 was a major uprising across large parts of England." A historical reference to a famous English uprising.
Memory hook
Think of a 're-volt' as a sudden surge of electrical 'voltage' that breaks the machine. Revolt is a collective roll back against authority.
When not to use
Do not confuse the verb 'revolt' (to rebel) with the adjective 'revolting' (disgusting), although they share the same root.
Fun facts
- The word 'revolting' (disgusting) comes from the same root because when you see something gross, your stomach metaphorically 'turns' or 'revolts' against it.
Explore more words
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.