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 hotel also provides yoga sessions at sunrise and sunset, held against the peaceful backdrop of Talamanca Bay. —Jennifer Fernández Solano, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025

Here, guests can choose from a variety of accommodation types such as classic hotel rooms in its lodge to cottages offering large porches for watching the sunrise and sunsets, private log cabins on the lake, and even glamping tents in the woods. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2025

Their favorite part of the home is the upstairs windows, including their bedroom window, which faces east and allows the couple to wake up to the sunrise every morning. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025

The band played from just before midnight until after sunrise; part of the show was broadcast live on ABC News. —Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 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