Revolution is a noun meaning a fundamental and usually radical change in political, social, or economic structures, often accompanied by widespread disruption or upheaval. It can also denote a forcible overthrow of a government or a complete turnover in a system. The term stresses the idea of turning around and starting anew, frequently associated with collective action and historical impact.
Tip: practice with a metronome at 60–80 BPM and gradually increase to 120 BPM while maintaining vowel clarity. Record yourself and compare to a native speaker, focusing on the long /uː/ and the final schwa.
Key contrasts: ensure /r/ clarity in US, but in UK/AU you may reduce /r/ to a postvocalic coloring; keep the strong /luː/ for all. IPA reminders: /ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən/.
"The revolution of 1789 reshaped European politics."
"Technological revolutions have transformed how we work and communicate."
"The company announced a revolution in their product design."
"Farmers faced a quiet revolution in sustainable agriculture."
Revolution comes from Old French revolution, from Latin revolutio, from revolvere ‘to roll back’ or ‘to roll again,’ from re- ‘back’ + volvere ‘to roll.’ The word entered English via the Middle Ages with senses tied to turning or rolling back, and by the 16th century took on the sense of a dramatic, often rapid, overturning of political order. Early English usage in political discourse linked revolution to the overturning of established regimes, while later centuries broadened to any fundamental turn in ideas, technology, or social structures. The mathematical and astronomical senses of revolution (as in a circle’s full turn) share the “return to origin” nuance but diverge in application, emphasizing either cyclical motion or cataclysmic change. First known uses appear in political treatises and scholarly works, reflecting its dual heritage of motion (rolling) and change (turning over). Over time, the word acquired both positive and negative connotations depending on perspective, from liberating revolutions to disruptive upheavals.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Revolution" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Revolution" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Revolution"
-ion sounds
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Pronounce as /ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən/ (US), with primary stress on the third syllable: rev-uh-LOO-shun. The initial syllable sounds like ‘reh’ in ‘red,’ the second is a quick ‘uh’ (schwa), and the third carries the longer ‘LOO’ vowel. Mouth positions: start with a relaxed jaw, raise the tongue for the ‘r’, then reduce to a mid-central vowel in the second syllable; for the 'luː' ensure the lips round slightly for the long 'oo' sound before the final schwa. Audio reference: you’ll hear the stress peak on the “lu” in natural speech.
Common errors include reducing the second syllable too much so it sounds like rev-uh-LOO-shən?—or misplacing primary stress, pronouncing it rev-o-LU-tion. Another pitfall is shortening the final syllable to ‘shun’ with a clipped vowel. Correction tips: emphasize the second syllable as a soft schwa, and ensure the third syllable carries the main stress /ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən/; practice with full vowel length in ‘luː’ and a clear final schwa.
In US English the primary stress sits on the third syllable with a clear /luː/ and a rhotic initial /r/. UK English shares the /ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən/ pattern but with non-rhoticity, so the initial /r/ is less pronounced or silent in some regions; the vowel qualities in ‘rev’ and ‘luː’ may be slightly shorter. Australian English resembles UK but often features a more open front vowel in /ɪ/ positions and a slightly longer final /ən/.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm with a heavy third syllable and the long /uː/ in the third syllable, plus a pronounced cluster of /r/ + /ə/ in the first two syllables. The combination of a stressed mid syllable and a final unstressed -tion can cause vowel reduction or mis-stressing. To master it, you must coordinate the lip rounding for /luː/ with a stable schwa in the second syllable and a crisp /t/ before the final /ən/.
A unique aspect is the sequence of three adjacent vowel sounds across syllables: an /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ sound in the second syllable often influenced by fast speech, the long /uː/ in the third, and the final /ən/ with a light schwa. You’ll often hear ‘rev-ə-LOO-shən’ with varying vowel lengths depending on speech tempo. Paying attention to the long /uː/ and the unstressed final syllable yields the most native-like result.
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