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

The east-west axis of the monumental structure was aligned with the direction of the sunrise on October 17 and February 24, leading Inomata to think that the monument might have acted as a ritual site during important days of the Maya calendar year. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025

Watching the sunrise and surfing at Praia Brava, grabbing lunch at restaurants along Canal da Barra, and exploring Jurerê, a beach neighborhood on the northern shore. —Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025

In the brief clip, Donna pans across the resort’s Seven Seas Lagoon during what appears to be a gorgeous sunrise. —Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025

The northern lights can often be observed from just after sunset or just before sunrise, from as far as more than 600 miles away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 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