Word
riot
Phoneticsri·ot, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹaɪət/
UK/ɹˈaɪət/
Definitions
01violent public disturbance
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a situation where a large group of people behaves in a violent way in public, often damaging buildings or fighting.
n. a tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, typically involving violence and property damage.
日本語:暴動※
“The city was quiet for days after the violent riot in the town square.”
“The government declared a state of emergency following a series of riots that broke out in response to the new tax laws.”
Synonyms
02a bright variety
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a large and beautiful variety of something, especially colours or flowers.
n. a vivid, unconstrained, or impressive variety of something, often used to describe visual displays.
“In the spring, the garden is a riot of colour with all the different flowers.”
“The artist's later works are a riot of textures and shapes, marking a departure from his earlier, more minimalist style.”
03someone very funny
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal
n. a person or an event that is very funny or entertaining.
n. a person, thing, or situation that is remarkably humorous or entertaining.
“You should meet my cousin; he is a total riot at parties.”
“The comedy show was a complete riot, leaving the audience exhausted from laughing for two hours straight.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “riot” in context.
Verb
01. incite a riot
“The activist was arrested for using social media to incite a riot during the peaceful protest.”
verb + noun
02. quell a riot
“The government deployed specialized police units to quell the riot before it spread to the suburbs.”
verb + noun
03. spark a riot
“The controversial court ruling served to spark a riot that lasted for three days.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. absolute riot
“You should definitely invite Mark to the party; he is an absolute riot when he starts telling stories.”
adj + noun
05. full-scale riot
“What started as a minor scuffle quickly escalated into a full-scale riot.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. riot gear
“Officers in full riot gear stood in a line to block the entrance to the parliament building.”
noun + noun
07. riot of colour
“In the springtime, the botanical garden becomes a riot of colour with thousands of blooming tulips.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. run riot
“The children were allowed to run riot in the garden while the adults were busy talking.”
verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“Montez said that the area around his building had been patrolled by the GAULA, a special anti-extortion and kidnapping military unit, but they were pulled away due to a prison riot on Monday night.” “The president is suing the BBC over an episode of Panorama that edited together two different sections of a speech he gave before the 2021 Capitol riots.” Etymology
From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (“debate”), from rioter (“to quarrel”), perhaps related to riboter or from Latin rugio (“I roar”). Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
- 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
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/riot
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0