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

But government officials viewed the Ghost Dance as a threat to US Indian policy and believed these ceremonies indicated an uprising; national press coverage brought it more attention, and in mid-November, President Benjamin Harrison ordered troops to the region. —Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025

Guaidó attempted to seize power in April 2019 in a failed uprising that saw much of Maduro's inner circle and security forces remain loyal to his administration. —Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025

It was started around the 1700s, and [in] 1811 there was the German Coast uprising that occurred on a plantation site. —JSTOR Daily, 25 Nov. 2025

Let’s get a little crazy and sift through the potential fallout of an epic rivalry weekend underdog uprising involving the Mississippi-Mississippi State; Georgia-Georgia Tech; Auburn-Alabama; Michigan-Ohio State and Texas-Texas A&M. —Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 19 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