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

Catcher Ricardo Olivar drove in a pair of runs during the offensive uprising with an RBI double and then a solo home run as part of a 2 for 4 night at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. —Staff Report, Twin Cities, 30 May 2026

That moniker comes from a violent 1967 peasant uprising against oppressive landlords in Naxalbari, a village in the shadow of the Himalayan foothills in northeast India. —Dhruv Tikekar, CNN Money, 30 May 2026

Those include the Attica uprising in 1971, attempts to unionize incarcerated workers and prison labor strikes. —Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026

Karvan and Kavian also took part in the massive protests that swept across Iran in January, before the uprising was violently quashed by the regime. —Omar Abdulkader, CBS News, 28 May 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