Standard Lemma guide

riot

noun · verb · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɹaɪ.ət/
  • /ˈɹaɪ.ɪt/ weak vowel merger
  • rhymes with -aɪət
  • homophone: ryot
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R AY1 AH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The protests began peacefully but turned into riots after several days.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A wide and unconstrained variety.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, figuratively, uncountable

Examples

  • In summer this flower garden is a riot of colour.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A humorous or entertaining event or person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Wanton or unrestrained behavior or emotion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To create or take part in a riot; to raise an uproar or sedition.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The nuclear protesters rioted outside the military base.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of feasting, luxury, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To cause to riot; to throw into a tumult.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To annoy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: orgy, debauch, debauchery, saturnalia, bacchanal, bacchanalia, drunken revelry

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: revel, revelry

11

noun

Meaning 11

a public act of violence by an unruly mob

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: public violence

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: violence, force

Narrower terms: race riot

12

noun

Meaning 12

a joke that seems extremely funny

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: belly laugh, sidesplitter, howler, thigh-slapper, scream, wow

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: joke, gag, laugh, jest, jape

13

noun

Meaning 13

a state of disorder involving group violence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rioting

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disorder

14

verb

Meaning 14

engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • They were out carousing last night

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: carouse, roister

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: revel, racket, make whoopie, make merry, make happy, whoop it up, jollify, wassail

15

verb

Meaning 15

take part in a riot; disturb the public peace by engaging in a riot

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Students were rioting everywhere in 1968

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rampage

History

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 (“to roar”). Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.

Across languages

Translations

212 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: rrëmujë — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Bulgarian: бунт (bunt) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Bulgarian: метеж (metež) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Chinese Cantonese: 暴動 /暴动 — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Chinese Mandarin: 暴亂 /暴乱 (bàoluàn) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Chinese Mandarin: 騷亂 /骚乱 (sāoluàn) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Chinese Mandarin: 騷動 /骚动 (sāodòng) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Chinese Mandarin: 暴動 /暴动 (bàodòng) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Finnish: hulina — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Finnish: rähinä — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Galician: balbordo — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Galician: galloufa — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Galician: liorna — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Galician: barullo — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Galician: boria — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Galician: revolta — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • German: Aufruhr — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Hungarian: féktelenség — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Hungarian: tobzódás — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Japanese: 暴動 (bōdō) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Macedonian: бунт (bunt) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Macedonian: ме́теж (métež) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Middle English: riot — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Occitan: riòta — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Occitan: trebol — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Portuguese: algazarra — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Russian: бунт (bunt) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Russian: беспоря́дки (besporjádki) — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Swedish: tumult — wanton or unrestrained behavior
  • Albanian: trazirë — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Albanian: rrëmujë — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Arabic: شَغَب (šaḡab) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Armenian: խռովություն (xṙovutʻyun) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Armenian: ապստամբություն (apstambutʻyun) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: burdel — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: espolín — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: tiberiu — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: belén — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: batiburiciu — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: llevante — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: revuelta — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: alzamientu — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: llevantamientu — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: llevantiyu — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Asturian: llevantu — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Azerbaijani: qiyam — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Azerbaijani: iğtişaş — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Belarusian: бунт (bunt) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Belarusian: мяце́ж (mjacjéž) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Belarusian: паўста́нне (pawstánnje) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Belarusian: пагром (pahróm) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Bulgarian: бунт (bunt) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Bulgarian: мете́ж (metéž) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Bulgarian: въста́ние (vǎstánie) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Bulgarian: разми́рица (razmírica) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Burmese: အဓိကရုဏ်း (a.dhi.ka.run:) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Catalan: avalot — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Catalan: motí — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Catalan: aldarull — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Chinese Mandarin: 暴亂 /暴乱 (bàoluàn) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Chinese Mandarin: 騷亂 /骚乱 (sāoluàn) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Chinese Mandarin: 騷動 /骚动 (sāodòng) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Czech: nepokoj — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Czech: neklid — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Czech: bitka — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Czech: vřava — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Danish: optøjer — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Danish: oprør — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Dutch: rel — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Esperanto: tumulto — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Finnish: mellakka — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • French: émeute — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Galician: tumulto — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Georgian: აჯანყება (aǯanq̇eba) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • German: Aufruhr — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • German: Tumult — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • German: Krawall — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • German: Randale — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Gothic: 𐌿𐌽𐍃𐌿𐍄𐌹 (unsuti) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Gujarati: રમખાણ (ramkhāṇ) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hebrew: התפרעות (hitpar'út) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hindi: दंगा (daṅgā) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hungarian: lázadás — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hungarian: lázongás — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hungarian: zendülés — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hungarian: zavargás — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hungarian: forrongás — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hungarian: randalírozás — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Hungarian: felkelés — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Ingrian: buntta — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Irish: círéib — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: tumulto — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: baccano — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: bailamme — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: gazzarra — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: baraonda — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: cagnara — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: parapiglia — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: subbuglio — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: bordello — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: schiamazzo — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: trambusto — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: rivolta — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Italian: sommossa — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Japanese: 暴動 (bōdō) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Japanese: 騒乱 (sōran) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Japanese: 動乱 (dōran) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Japanese: 狼藉 (rōzeki) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Khmer: ចលាចល (caʼlaacɑl) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Korean: 폭동 (pokdong) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Korean: 반란 (ballan) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Lithuanian: riaušės — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Macedonian: ну́мир (númir) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Macedonian: не́ред (néred) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Macedonian: ру́волт (rúvolt) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Macedonian: бунт (bunt) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Malay: rusuhan — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Middle English: riot — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Norman: êmeute — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Norwegian Bokmål: opptøyer — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Norwegian Bokmål: opprør — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Persian: آشوب (âšub) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Persian: شورش (šureš) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Polish: zamieszki — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Polish: zbiegowisko — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Polish: bunt — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Portuguese: tumulto — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Portuguese: revolta — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Portuguese: turbulência — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Portuguese: motim — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Romanian: răscoală — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Romanian: răzmeriță — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Romanian: răzvrătire — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Romanian: rebeliune — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Romanian: revoltă — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Romanian: sedițiune — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Russian: бунт (bunt) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Russian: мяте́ж (mjatéž) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Russian: восста́ние (vosstánije) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Russian: беспоря́дки (besporjádki) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Serbo-Croatian: не̏мӣр — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Serbo-Croatian: бу̀нт — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Serbo-Croatian: nȅmīr — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Serbo-Croatian: bùnt — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Slovak: výtržnosti — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Slovak: vrava — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Slovak: nepokoje — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Slovene: nemir — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Slovene: kraval — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Slovene: izgred — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: alboroto — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: tumulto — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: disturbios — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: algarada — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: motín — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: asonada — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: bullanga — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: rebullicio — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: bullaranga — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: tempestad — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Spanish: batiboleo — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Swedish: kravall — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Swedish: uppror — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Swedish: tumult — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Swedish: upplopp — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Tajik: шуриш (šuriš) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Tajik: ошӯб (ošüb) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Tamil: கலவரம் (kalavaram) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Thai: การกบฏ (gaan-gà-bòt) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Turkish: isyan — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Ukrainian: бунт (bunt) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Ukrainian: за́колот (zákolot) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Ukrainian: меті́ж (metíž) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Ukrainian: повста́ння (povstánnja) — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Uzbek: qoʻzgʻolon — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Uzbek: isyon — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Uzbek: gʻalayon — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Vietnamese: bạo loạn — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Welsh: terfysg — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Welsh: cythrwfl — tumultuous disturbance of public peace
  • Bulgarian: оргия (orgija) — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Finnish: hulina — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Italian: baldoria — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Italian: bisboccia — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Macedonian: о́ргија (órgija) — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Macedonian: ве́селба (véselba) — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Middle English: riot — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Polish: hulanka — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Russian: разгу́л (razgúl) — excessive and expensive feasting
  • Bulgarian: бунтувам се (buntuvam se) — to create or take part in a riot
  • Catalan: avalotar — to create or take part in a riot
  • Esperanto: tumultiĝi — to create or take part in a riot
  • Finnish: mellakoida — to create or take part in a riot
  • Finnish: hulinoida — to create or take part in a riot
  • Hungarian: lázad — to create or take part in a riot
  • Hungarian: lázong — to create or take part in a riot
  • Hungarian: zendül — to create or take part in a riot
  • Hungarian: zavarog — to create or take part in a riot
  • Hungarian: forrong — to create or take part in a riot
  • Hungarian: randalírozik — to create or take part in a riot
  • Macedonian: бу́нтува (búntuva) — to create or take part in a riot
  • Macedonian: се бу́нтува (se búntuva) — to create or take part in a riot
  • Portuguese: tumultuar — to create or take part in a riot
  • Portuguese: revoltar — to create or take part in a riot
  • Slovak: robiť výtržnosti — to create or take part in a riot
  • Spanish: asonarse — to create or take part in a riot
  • Spanish: tumultuarse — to create or take part in a riot
  • Spanish: atumultuarse — to create or take part in a riot
  • Spanish: rebullir — to create or take part in a riot
  • Spanish: alborotarse — to create or take part in a riot
  • Spanish: tempestear — to create or take part in a riot
  • Spanish: juntarse en asonada — to create or take part in a riot