intifada

noun

in·​ti·​fa·​da ˌin-tə-ˈfä-də 

plural intifadas

: uprising, rebellion

specifically : an armed uprising of Palestinians against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip

I was a college student at Tufts University in December 1987, when the first Palestinian intifada began.

—Hady Amr

… in 2000, the second intifada struck with the force of an earthquake. As Palestinians fought Israeli troops, the West Bank became all but ungovernable.

—Karen E. Lange

Examples of intifada in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

People have been moving to the right in various ways and by various definitions since the collapse of the negotiations at Camp David and the second intifada. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026

Kiswani wanted to globalize the intifada. —Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026

Her tenure coincided with the height of the peace process and the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising, or intifada, in 2000. —ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026

In 2024, she was criticized for speaking at an event a pro-Palestinian protest camp at the University of Sydney, where children were heard calling for an intifada. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 13 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Arabic intifāḍa, literally, the act of shaking off

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for intifada

• arthropoda
• theravada
• armada
• entrada
• espada
• hamada
• jornada
• kannada
• posada
• quebrada
• ramada
• sagrada

Kids Definition

intifada

noun

in·​ti·​fa·​da ˌint-ə-ˈfäd-ə 

: uprising, rebellion

Etymology

Arabic intifāda, literally, "the act of shaking off"