Social Change Terminology

noun a state of anxiety or nervous excitement

verb to make someone feel nervous, worried, or upset

adjective causing anxiety or nervousness

• The protestors were careful not to agitate the situation any further.
• I didn't mean to agitate you, I was just trying to help.
• Don't agitate him, he's already in a bad mood.
• The constant buzzing of the flies began to agitate my nerves.

noun a series of organized activities or actions working toward a particular goal

• The study of animal movements is crucial for understanding their behavior.
• I love watching dance movements, they're so graceful and mesmerizing.
• Check out the sick dance movements that guy's busting out!
• The political movements of the 1960s had a lasting impact on society.

noun a person who holds politically conservative views

adjective opposing political or social progress or reform

• The political party was divided between the progressives and the reactionary members.
• She always argues with her dad because he has such a reactionary mindset.
• I can't stand those old-fashioned, reactionary people who refuse to change.
• His reactionary attitude towards new ideas is like trying to stop a moving train with his bare hands.

noun a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system

• The Industrial Revolution had a profound impact on society and the economy.
• The tech revolution is changing the way we live our lives.
• That new app is a game-changer, it's starting a whole new revolution in the industry.
• She sparked a revolution in the fashion world with her unique designs.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. 'Century' is a noun because it refers to a period of one hundred years.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun. In this case, 'twentieth' is an adjective that describes the century as being the twentieth in order.

• The invention of the internet revolutionized communication in the twentieth century.
• People in the twentieth century were amazed by the first television broadcasts.
• Back in the day, the twentieth century was lit with all the new technology.
• The twentieth century was a turning point in human history, marking significant advancements in various fields.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

• The company implemented new policies and change in order to improve efficiency.
• I heard they're making some updates and change to the website.
• Let's shake things up and change the game plan.
• Sometimes you have to embrace uncertainty and change in order to grow.

noun a political movement for reformation within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during the 1980s

• Perestroika was a political movement for reform in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s.
• My grandparents often talk about the changes brought about by perestroika.
• Perestroika was a game-changer for the Soviet Union.
• The company underwent a perestroika of its management structure to improve efficiency.