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 of sunrise

• day
• dawn
• morning
• morn
• dawning
• daybreak
• daylight

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

And nothing compares to waking up beside Alice Lake, where sunrise casts the 9,899-foot El Capitan in pale honey light—an image almost perfectly mirrored in gently lapping water below. —Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026

By noon, much of the pressure on the TSA checkpoints at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood had been alleviated, with much smaller lines than the crush of travelers before sunrise. —David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026

But who sits around and enjoys cocktails at sunrise? —David Caraccio march 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Mar. 2026

Before sunrise in downtown Dallas, volunteers gather in near silence, scanning sidewalks and glass towers for signs of birds that didn’t survive the night’s migration. —Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026

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