sunrise

noun

sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz 

1

: the apparent rising of the sun above the horizon

also : the accompanying atmospheric effects

2

: the time when the upper limb of the sun appears above the horizon as a result of the diurnal rotation of the earth

Synonyms

• aurora
• cockcrow
• dawn
• dawning
• day
• daybreak
• daylight
• light
• morn
• morning
• sun
• sunup

Examples of sunrise in a Sentence

We were up before sunrise.

We worked from sunrise to sunset.

We watched the sunrise from the beach.

the pink light of sunrise

Recent Examples on the Web

The three most beautiful naked-eye sights to be had in the night sky will create a stunning panorama just before sunrise. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

The Wales Women’s manager just woke up and left with the sunrise, bound for the top of the country’s highest peak, Yr Wyddfa. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 19 June 2025

Gliding through these vibrant waterways reveals a colorful spectacle, particularly at sunrise, when the market is most active with locals. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 June 2025

The crash occurred before sunrise in thick fog and low visibility as the overnight flight from Teterboro, New Jersey, was lining up to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. —Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 18 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sunrise

• tequila sunrise

Rhymes for sunrise

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

Kids Definition

sunrise

noun

sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz 

1

: the apparent rising of the sun above the horizon

also : the accompanying atmospheric effects (as color)

2

: the time at which the sun rises

Geographical Definition

Sunrise

geographical name

Sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz 

city in southeastern Florida west of Fort Lauderdale population 84,439