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riot
[ rahy-uht ]
noun
- a noisy, violent public disorder caused by a group or crowd of persons, as by a crowd protesting against another group, a government policy, etc., in the streets.
- Law. a disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons acting together in a disrupting and tumultuous manner in carrying out their private purposes.
- violent or wild disorder or confusion.
Synonyms: disturbance, tumult, uproar
- a brilliant display:
a riot of color.
- something or someone hilariously funny:
You were a riot at the party.
- unrestrained revelry.
- an unbridled outbreak, as of emotions, passions, etc.
- Archaic. loose, wanton living; profligacy.
verb (used without object)
- to take part in a riot or disorderly public outbreak.
- to live in a loose or wanton manner; indulge in unrestrained revelry:
Many of the Roman emperors rioted notoriously.
Synonyms: carouse
- Hunting. (of a hound or pack) to pursue an animal other than the intended quarry.
- to indulge unrestrainedly; run riot.
verb (used with object)
- to spend (money, time, etc.) in riotous living (usually followed by away or out ).
riot
/ ˈraɪət /
noun
- a disturbance made by an unruly mob or (in law) three or more persons; tumult or uproar
- ( as modifier )
a riot shield
a riot gun
riot police
- boisterous activity; unrestrained revelry
- an occasion of boisterous merriment
- slang.a person who occasions boisterous merriment
- a dazzling or arresting display
a riot of colour
- hunting the indiscriminate following of any scent by hounds
- archaic.wanton lasciviousness
- run riot
- to behave wildly and without restraint
- (of plants) to grow rankly or profusely
verb
- intr to take part in a riot
- intr to indulge in unrestrained revelry or merriment
- trfoll byaway to spend (time or money) in wanton or loose living
he has rioted away his life
Derived Forms
- ˈrioter, noun
- ˈrioting, noun
Other Words From
- riot·er noun
- anti·riot adjective noun
- counter·riot·er noun
- non·riot·er noun
- non·riot·ing adjective
- un·riot·ing adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of riot1
Word History and Origins
Origin of riot1
Idioms and Phrases
- run riot,
- to act without control or restraint:
The neighbors let their children run riot.
- to grow luxuriantly or abundantly:
Crab grass is running riot in our lawn.
More idioms and phrases containing riot
see read the riot act ; run amok (riot) .Example Sentences
More than 1,500 people were arrested in connection with the Capitol riot.
"When the riots were happening in Stoke, and elsewhere in the country, people were so scared of going out," he said.
Among the users he reinstated was Trump, who had been banned following the Capitol riot in January 2021 after continuing to claim the 2020 election had been rigged against him.
A fire on the tram was quickly extinguished and riot officers cleared the square, making arrests, German broadcaster DW reports.
In the meantime, several Capitol riot defendants have asked for hearings to be delayed in anticipation of pardons.
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About This Word
What does riot mean?
A riot is a situation in which people in a crowd are engaging in violence and/or destruction in the streets or another public space.
Riots often involve two or more groups fighting, or one group causing destruction.
Riot can also be used as a verb meaning to participate in a riot. Members of the crowd who do this can be called rioters. The word rioting can be used as both a verb and a noun.
Violent protests are sometimes called riots. But the term riot is often extremely loaded and used in a way that’s intended to be dismissive of protests and portray protesters as lawless, destructive, or violent. Specifically, the term has been frequently used to portray African American protesters in this way, such as during mass demonstrations. For example, one may try to discredit a protest by calling it a riot or to discredit protesters by calling them rioters. This especially happens when people conflate a protest with other things happening around it, such as looting.
The word riot is also used in a much different way to refer to something very funny, especially in the phrase laugh riot. The term implies that it results in intense, unrestrained laughter.
Example: The riot outside the stadium left dozens of people injured, along with widespread damage to cars in the parking lot.
Where does riot come from?
The first records of the word riot come from around 1200. In Middle English, the word was used to mean “debauchery,” “revel,” or “violent disturbance.” It comes from the French riote, which means “debate” or “dispute” and derives from the Old French rihoter “to quarrel.” Riot may ultimately derive from the Latin rugīre, “to roar.”
Riots are not peaceful. Situations accurately described as riots always involve some form of violence or destruction—especially a chaotic scene in which people are fighting and things are being broken. Using the word almost always implies a criticism of the people participating.
A protest might be called a riot if it turns violent. But sometimes it may be called a riot simply by those who don’t agree with the protest, regardless of whether it’s violent or not. The word’s history is full of examples of it being used in a way that unfairly portrays protesters as criminals in order to dismiss and distract from the cause they’re demonstrating for.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to riot?
- riotous (adjective)
- rioter (noun)
- rioting (continuous tense verb, noun)
- counterrioter (noun)
- nonrioter (noun)
- antiriot (adjective, noun)
What are some synonyms for riot?
What are some words that share a root or word element with riot?
What are some words that often get used in discussing riot?
How is riot used in real life?
Riot is usually used in a negative way in criticisms of such situations, but this isn’t always the case.
“A riot is the language of the unheard.”
My father was telling us to hear.
He was beckoning us to do justice.
He was provoking us to true peace.
A call to conscience. pic.twitter.com/sehI6CYtZB— Be A King (@BerniceKing) June 3, 2020
The protest today was very peaceful btw. Don’t let anyone try to convince you that it was a riot
— kemosabe (@keemypit) June 9, 2020
And in case you haven't heard of it, there was this little thing called the Warsaw Uprising.
It was a riot, a revolt, led by Jews against their oppressors. They killed 150 German soldiers, and 13,000 Jews died in the revolt.
Pictured here: arrested Jewish resistance fighters. pic.twitter.com/FzowF80dRx
— Elad Nehorai (@PopChassid) June 9, 2020
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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