uprising

1 of 2

noun

up·​ris·​ing ˈəp-ˌrī-ziŋ 

: an act or instance of rising up

especially : a usually localized act of popular violence in defiance usually of an established government

uprising

2 of 2

present participle of uprise entry 1

Synonyms of uprising

Noun

• revolt
• insurrection
• rebellion
• mutiny

Choose the Right Synonym for uprising

rebellion, revolution, uprising, revolt, insurrection, mutiny mean an outbreak against authority.

rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

revolt and insurrection imply an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.

a revolt by the Young Turks that surprised party leaders

an insurrection of oppressed laborers

mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

Examples of uprising in a Sentence

Noun

The government quickly put down the uprising.

the uprising was quickly and brutally suppressed

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The interview stirred up outrage among rights and activist groups that were behind the uprising against al-Bashir. — ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026

On March 5, following an uprising against the administration’s mass-deportation effort that culminated in two protesters being killed by ICE agents in Minnesota, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was axed. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 6 Nov. 2026

One—a 1962 uprising in Brunei—had mistakenly been left out of the previous dataset. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Nov. 2026

Desperate, Kohlhaas mounts an armed uprising, which is quickly put down, and the story ends with his beheading. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for uprising

• advising
• apprising
• arising
• baptizing
• capsizing
• chastising
• comprising
• despising
• devising
• disguising
• downsizing
• excising

Kids Definition

uprising

noun

up·​ris·​ing ˈəp-ˌrī-ziŋ 

: an act or instance of rising up