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

Tellingly, the protesters in Nepal’s September uprising angrily confronted Indian TV crews, associating them with the country’s political crisis. —Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025

Midterm elections will see congressional battlegrounds in states where fast-rising electric bills or data center hotspots — or both — are fomenting community uprisings. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025

Altogether more than 1,000 Israelis were killed in those uprisings, along with many times that number of Palestinians. —Scott Simon, NPR, 8 Nov. 2025

Goudreau also claimed high-ranking members of Guaidó’s governing team played an active role in the planning of the operation, at one point demanding $20 million be set aside to finance an internal popular uprising to go alongside the military incursion. —Kevin G. Hall, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025

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