Word
sedition
Phoneticssedi·tion
US/sɪˈdɪʃən/
UK/sɛdˈɪʃən/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the act of encouraging people to rebel against the government or the law. It usually involves using words or writing to start a protest or a fight against those in power.
n. conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch. Often involves the dissemination of materials intended to provoke civil disorder or subvert the established legal order.
Examples
“The journalist was arrested and charged with sedition.”
“The government argued that the protest leader's speech crossed the line from free expression into outright sedition.”
“Legal scholars often debate the fine distinction between legitimate political dissent and sedition, particularly when a speaker's rhetoric explicitly calls for the forceful overthrow of democratic institutions.”
Examples
simple
“The journalist was arrested and charged with sedition.”
contextual
“The government argued that the protest leader's speech crossed the line from free expression into outright sedition.”
complex
“Legal scholars often debate the fine distinction between legitimate political dissent and sedition, particularly when a speaker's rhetoric explicitly calls for the forceful overthrow of democratic institutions.”
Usage
Commonly used in legal and political contexts; often appears as the object of verbs like 'incite', 'charge with', or 'commit'.
Real-World Examples
“William Blake drafted Jerusalem in Felpham, then threw a drunk soldier out of his garden and was tried in Chichester for sedition (all because the soldier claimed he insulted the king).” “On 15 July, when the annual Hong Kong Book Fair opened, national security police searched two more independent bookshops, Greenfield Bookstore and Have a Nice Stay, arresting five people for sedition.” Etymology
From Old French sedicion, from Latin sēditiō (“sedition, discord”), from sēd- (“apart”) (an alternative form of sē-) + itiō (“going”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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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QR code
englishreference.com/q/sedition