rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryseditiousEncouraging rebellion
adjective

seditious

sih-DISH-us/sɪˈdɪʃəs/

Encouraging rebellion against government authority.

The pamphlet contains seditious appeals to overthrow the government.

Woman hands out a single plain leaflet bearing brief functional words OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT while gesturing defiantly at generic authority-building silhouette; clear encouragement to rebel, no real party, tactics or violence.
Etymology
seditLatincivil disorder, rebellion
+iousLatinfull of, inclined to

Built on the noun for civil disorder or rebellion, the Latin adjective meant “full of discord” or “mutinous.” The selected English sense emphasizes encouraging rebellion against authority.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain174:05
distinguish a regular and lawful act from a seditious tumult and the will of a whole people from the clamors of a faction
1700s Philosophy Audiobook • Jean-Jacques Rousseau - The Social Contract

More examples

  • Officials accuse the newspaper of publishing seditious editorials.
  • Her seditious speech urges soldiers to rebel against the government.
  • Criticizing a policy does not automatically make a statement seditious.

Forms

seditious

sedition noun — Speech or conduct encouraging rebellion against government.

Similar words

rebellious
Describes resistance to authority, not necessarily encouragement of others.
subversive
Aims to undermine established power, often without openly urging rebellion.