Word
revel
Phoneticsrev·el, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹɛvəɫ/
UK/ɹˈɛvəl/
US spelling · reveled
Definitions
01to take great pleasure
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to enjoy a situation or feeling very much.
v. to take intense satisfaction or delight in a particular activity or circumstance. Intransitive, typically followed by the preposition 'in'.
“She seemed to revel in the attention she received after winning the race.”
“The retired professor appeared to revel in the quiet solitude of the countryside, far removed from the frantic pace of university life.”
02to celebrate wildly
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to celebrate in a noisy, lively, and happy way.
v. to engage in noisy, lively, or unrestrained festivities.
“The crowds began to revel in the streets as soon as the festival started.”
“The victorious team continued to revel long into the night, their boisterous celebrations echoing through the hotel corridors.”
Antonyms
03a celebration
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · Archaic
n. a lively and noisy party or celebration.
n. an instance of merrymaking or a boisterous festivity.
“The village held a grand revel to mark the end of the harvest.”
“The midnight revel was interrupted by a sudden storm, sending the costumed guests scurrying for cover beneath the stone arches.”
Synonyms
Usage
Intransitive; almost always followed by the preposition 'in'.
Pitfall
They revel the party
They revel in the party
Revel is intransitive and requires the preposition 'in' before the object of enjoyment.
Real-World Examples
“Whenever I felt I couldn’t keep going, I returned to the film and revelled in the knowledge that it was based on truth.” “Burners revel at the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock desert in Nevada on 30 August 2008.” Etymology
From Middle English revelen, from Old French revel, from reveler (“to be disorderly, to make merry”), from Latin rebello (“to rebel”). Doublet of rebel.
From Latin revellere, from re- + vellere (“to pluck, pull”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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