Seditious
/sɪˈdɪʃəs/
adjectiveC2
Definition
Seditious means behavior, speech, or writing that tries to cause people to rebel or fight against the government or the rules of a country. It often means encouraging unrest or trouble against those in power. Such actions are usually seen as illegal or harmful by governments.
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See It in Action
Describing speech or writing that encourages rebellion against authority
- •The government arrested him for making seditious speeches.
- •Seditious pamphlets were found hidden in the city.
- •The leader was charged with seditious behavior for encouraging people to protest violently.
Describing actions or plans that aim to overthrow or weaken the government
- •The group was accused of seditious plotting.
- •Seditious acts can lead to serious legal punishment.
- •The police stopped a seditious uprising before it began.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'seditious' like 'rebel' (A2 word), but used to describe ideas or words that try to start a rebellion, not just a person
- ✓Picture someone whispering plans to break the rules or change the government in secret
- ✓It's the feeling of danger when people talk about breaking laws or causing trouble for leaders
- ✓Sounds like 'see-DISH-us' → imagine someone serving a 'dish' full of trouble and bad ideas to others
- ✓In stories, seditious characters are often those who speak against kings or governments, trying to start a fight or change by force
- ✓NOT like 'disagree' (simple difference of opinion)—seditious means actively trying to make people rise up or rebel
- ✓NOT like 'protest' (legal or peaceful)—seditious is often secretive and illegal, aiming to harm government authority
Try Other Words
- •Subversive: trying to secretly weaken or destroy a system or government (Use when the focus is on secret or hidden actions)
- •Rebellious: refusing to obey rules or authority (Use for general disobedience, less serious than seditious)
- •Treasonous: betraying one's country or government (Use when the action is a serious crime against the state)
- •Insurgent: a person or group fighting against authority (Use when focusing on people rather than ideas or speech)
Unboxing
- •Prefix 'sed-' comes from Latin 'sed-' or 'sedere' meaning 'to sit' but here related to 'sedition' meaning rebellion or resistance
- •Root 'sedit-' comes from Latin 'seditio' meaning 'a going apart, dissension, rebellion'
- •Suffix '-ious' means 'having the quality of' or 'full of'
- •The word originally described actions that cause people to 'sit apart' or separate from authority through rebellion
- •Over time, it came to mean speech or behavior that encourages disorder or rebellion against government
Reflect & Connect
•How can words or ideas become seditious without physical actions? Can peaceful words still be seditious?
•Why do governments treat seditious speech differently from normal disagreement or protest?
Fill in the blanks
1.The government arrested him because his ___ speeches encouraged people to rebel against authority.
2.People who spread ___ ideas often face serious legal consequences for trying to weaken the government.
3.Unlike peaceful protests, seditious actions aim to ___ the current system or leaders.
4.The secret group planned a ___ uprising that could change the government by force.
5.When someone speaks in a ___ way, they try to make others break the law or fight the government.
6.Seditious behavior is often punished more harshly than ___ disagreement or debate.
7.The police watched closely for any ___ activity that might lead to violence or chaos.