Meaning & use

revolution

noun·Academic

A fundamental, often sudden change in political power, social order, or ways of thinking, sometimes achieved through force.

See it in a sentence

The French Revolution overthrew the monarchy and reshaped the country's entire political system.

Smartphones sparked a revolution in how people communicate and access information daily.

A note on using this word

Revolution also has a separate scientific meaning: one complete orbit or rotation, as in 'the Earth's revolution around the Sun'.

Words with a similar meaning

uprisingupheavaloverthrow

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

One complete circular turn or orbit of an object around a point or axis.

The Earth completes one revolution around the Sun in about 365 days.

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