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
Just weeks after the experiment ended, a prison uprising at Attica Correctional Facility in New York was thwarted with deadly force, resulting in 43 deaths. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 France's post-revolution history is not a solid story of protests and reforms, but of cycles of popular uprisings, repression, mobilization and political concessions. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 The ensuing economic turmoil helped foment a populist uprising and the first major immigration crackdown in American history. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026 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 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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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uprising. Accessed 27 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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