Meaning & use
revel in the fact
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
to take great pleasure in a particular situation or piece of information, often in a way that seems slightly boastful or unkind.
Grammar: Followed by 'that' and a clause: revel in the fact that you were right.
Patterns
- revel in the fact that ...
- revel in the fact of something
She reveled in the fact that her prediction had come true.
He reveled in the fact that his rival had failed the exam.
They reveled in the fact that the project was finally finished.
Common combinations
- revel in the fact that
- The team reveled in the fact that they had beaten the champions.
- revel in the fact of
- She reveled in the fact of her own success.
- seem to revel in the fact
- He seemed to revel in the fact that everyone was watching him.
Synonyms and how they differ
- delight in
- Delight in is more general and can be used for any source of joy, not just a fact or situation.
- glory in
- Glory in is more literary and often implies taking pride in something that others might find questionable.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: revel in the fact or rebel?
revel in the fact vs rebel
Rebel means to fight against authority, while revel means to enjoy something greatly.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The phrase 'revel in the fact that' requires a full clause after 'that'. Option 1 is correct. Option 2 is less common and would need 'of' plus a noun phrase, but 'winning' as a gerund is awkward here. Option 3 is missing 'that'. Option 4 has 'that' but no subject for the clause.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “revel in the fact”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.