What does mutinied mean?
Mutinied is the past-tense and past-participle form of the verb mutiny. It describes a collective rebellion against authority, most commonly by sailors, soldiers, prisoners, or members of another group governed by a strict hierarchy. The word is especially associated with challenges to command aboard ships and in military organizations, although it can apply to any organized revolt. In a sentence such as “The sailors mutinied,” it presents the rebellion as a completed event rather than a continuing state. Mutinied can also function as a participle before a noun, as in “the mutinied crew,” meaning a crew that had rebelled. Compared with the broader term rebelled, mutinied carries a stronger implication of organized resistance to recognized authority and is consequently often charged or dramatic in tone.
verbTo rebel or revolt against authority, especially as members of a crew, military unit, or other organized group. It is the past tense and past participle of the verb mutiny.
- To rebel or revolt against authority, especially as members of a crew, military unit, or other organized group.
"The sailors mutinied after being denied their promised shore leave."
"The crew mutinied and seized control of the vessel."
"Several soldiers mutinied after receiving orders they refused to carry out."
From ship decks to prison cells, mutinied captures the moment when obedience breaks into collective revolt.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of mutinied
Mutinied is an inflection of the English verb mutiny. The word came through Middle French mutiner, ultimately from Medieval Latin mutinire and Latin mutinari, meaning “to be rebellious.” Related English forms such as mutineer and mutinous preserve the same Latin-derived word family.
Related word forms
How mutinied is actually used
Mutinied is less common than the noun mutiny and the base verb mutiny, but it is useful in narrative and historical writing when describing a completed act of rebellion.
Easily confused with mutinied
Mutinied describes the act of rebelling, whereas a mutineer is a person who takes part in or leads a mutiny.