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
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 team can tailor meals according to guests’ preferences, from sunrise breakfasts in the garden to intimate candlelit dinners.
—
Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
When is the Venus-Jupiter pairing? Venus and Jupiter are making their close approaches to one another and will shine brightly to the east before sunrise throughout August, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
While the smoke will remain high in the atmosphere and won't impact surface air quality, it's expected to create vivid sunrises and sunsets across parts of Western Europe, including Ireland, Norway, and Germany, from Tuesday through Thursday.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Just before sunrise, a small group of newsmen slid into combat fatigues and safari jackets before slipping through the waking city in a convoy of vans and rental cars.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sunrise
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Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
When is the Venus-Jupiter pairing? Venus and Jupiter are making their close approaches to one another and will shine brightly to the east before sunrise throughout August, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
While the smoke will remain high in the atmosphere and won't impact surface air quality, it's expected to create vivid sunrises and sunsets across parts of Western Europe, including Ireland, Norway, and Germany, from Tuesday through Thursday.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Just before sunrise, a small group of newsmen slid into combat fatigues and safari jackets before slipping through the waking city in a convoy of vans and rental cars.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sunrise
Cite this Entry
“Sunrise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunrise. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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