Meaning & use
revisionist history
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Meanings
noununcountable
A rewritten version of history that challenges or changes accepted facts, often for political reasons.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun; it can be modified by adjectives like 'dangerous' or 'political'.
Patterns
- revisionist history of something
- call something revisionist history
- a piece of revisionist history
The regime's textbooks were full of revisionist history.
Some critics say the film is revisionist history that ignores key evidence.
The article was accused of being revisionist history.
noununcountable
The scholarly practice of reinterpreting historical events based on new evidence or perspectives.
Grammar: In academic contexts, it can be neutral or positive, meaning a legitimate re-examination.
Patterns
- revisionist history of the period
- engage in revisionist history
- revisionist history about something
Her book is an example of revisionist history that uses newly opened archives.
The conference focused on revisionist history of the Cold War.
Common combinations
- accuse someone of revisionist history
- They accused the author of revisionist history.
- political revisionist history
- The speech was full of political revisionist history.
- a form of revisionist history
- Denying the genocide is a form of revisionist history.
- revisionist history about the war
- The documentary presents revisionist history about the war.
Synonyms and how they differ
- historical revisionism
- This is the more formal academic term; 'revisionist history' is more common in everyday and journalistic use.
- rewriting history
- A more general phrase that can mean the same but often implies deliberate distortion.
Opposites
Word family
- revisionism noun
- The theory or practice of revising accepted historical accounts.
- revisionist noun
- A person who advocates revisionist history.
Commonly confused: revisionist history or historical revision?
revisionist history vs historical revision
This can simply mean updating a historical record, not necessarily challenging accepted facts.
Practice
The dictator's propaganda tried to erase past crimes. This is an example of ______.
Choose one answer.
'Revisionist history' fits because it means rewriting history for a purpose. 'Historical revision' is a neutral term for updating records, 'revision history' is a computing term, and 'history revision' is not a standard phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “revisionist history”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.