uprising

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

Synonyms of uprising

• 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

The government quickly put down the uprising.

the uprising was quickly and brutally suppressed

Recent Examples on the Web

Cripple Iran's ability to threaten its neighbors, spur a popular uprising in Iran, and then conduct regime change, leaving in place a secular leader. —CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026

There was no true regime change in Iran and no uprising of its people. —Donald Heflin, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026

In the United States, the Civil War reshaped the nation and redefined freedom, while revolutionary movements and nationalist uprisings spread across Europe. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026

The fears of robot uprising, from his perspective, are essentially the fears of slave revolt, of the working class seizing the means of production. —Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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