counterrevolution

noun

coun·​ter·​rev·​o·​lu·​tion ˌkau̇n-tər-ˌre-və-ˈlü-shən 

ˌkau̇n-tə-

1

: a revolution directed toward overthrowing a government or social system established by a previous revolution

2

: a movement to counteract revolutionary trends

counterrevolutionary

ˌkau̇n-tər-ˌre-və-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē 

ˌkau̇n-tə-

adjective or noun

Examples of counterrevolution in a Sentence

The leader vowed to stop any attempt at counterrevolution.

Soldiers loyal to the President led the counterrevolution.

Recent Examples on the Web

The phenomenal success of this counterrevolution was due to a simple insight. —Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024

What is still missing from this broad narrative is a full understanding of how this neoliberal counterrevolution succeeded in changing everything. —Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024

But with Iraq battered, Syria in chaos, and a stagnant Egypt being whipsawed by revolution and counterrevolution, the way was clear for an ambitious, headstrong, and ruthless young Saudi prince to stake his country’s claim to Arab leadership. —Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019

Marker’s Grin Without a Cat, an essay-film about revolution and counterrevolution in the Sixties, is almost as long as The Sorrow and the Pity but denser and more fast-moving. —Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

counterrevolution

noun

coun·​ter·​rev·​o·​lu·​tion ˌkau̇nt-ə(r)-ˌrev-ə-ˈlü-shən 

: a revolution intended to overthrow a government established by an earlier revolution

counterrevolutionary

-ˈlü-shə-ˌner-ē 

adjective or noun

counterrevolutionist

-ˈlü-sh(ə-)nəst

noun