uprising

1 of 2

noun

up·​ris·​ing ˈəp-ˌrī-ziŋ How to pronounce uprising (audio)
Synonyms of uprisingnext
: an act or instance of rising up
especially : a usually localized act of popular violence in defiance usually of an established government

uprising

2 of 2

present participle of uprise entry 1

Synonyms of uprising

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Noun

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Choose the Right Synonym for uprising

rebellion, revolution, uprising, revolt, insurrection, mutiny mean an outbreak against authority.

rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders
an insurrection of oppressed laborers

mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

Examples of uprising in a Sentence

Noun The government quickly put down the uprising. the uprising was quickly and brutally suppressed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Gavras’s previous film, the magnificent Athena, was an action epic and family tragedy about an uprising at a French housing project. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026 But Qaddafi’s military forces were decisively defeated by Western airpower and his objective of crushing a popular uprising by force was rendered impossible. — Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026 Since the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, began in 1987, human rights organizations have documented how seldom investigations into Israeli soldiers’ killings of Palestinians resulted in prosecution. — Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 The replicant uprising that has been bubbling up in the films has taken place and the humans have lost. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for uprising

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of uprising was in the 13th century

Rhymes for uprising

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Browse Nearby Words

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upriver
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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uprising. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

uprising

noun
up·​ris·​ing ˈəp-ˌrī-ziŋ How to pronounce uprising (audio)
: an act or instance of rising up
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