uproar

noun up·roar \ ˈəp-ˌrȯr \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Examples: uproar in a Sentence

Definition of uproar

: a state of commotion, excitement, or violent disturbance

See uproar defined for English-language learners

See uproar defined for kids

Examples of uproar in a Sentence

There was a lot of public uproar over the proposed jail.
There have been uproars in the past over similar proposals.
The proposal caused an uproar.
The town was in an uproar over the proposal to build a jail.

Recent Examples of uproar from the Web

The commission took down the post after an uproar among traditional medicine enthusiasts.

— Washington Post, "Donkeys stolen, skinned in Africa to feed Chinese demand," 15 June 2018
Spotify's new policy caused an uproar among fans and Kendrick Lamar, who threatened to pull his music after Spotify announced its new rules.

— nerisha penrose, Billboard, "XXXTentacion's Fans Are Reportedly Harassing His Alleged Victim," 6 June 2018
This has caused uproar among animal rights activists, including Claire Dearing (Howard), now head of the Dinosaur Protection Group, who are calling on Congress to intervene to save these creatures from a fiery death.

— refinery29.com, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," 5 June 2018
The question came amid Internet uproar that refs were making wrong calls and siding with the Warriors, especially after one play where LeBron James was tripped.

— charlotte carroll, SI.com, "Watch: Tristan Thompson Walks Out of Postgame Presser," 3 June 2018
The separation between the two groups comes as the Boy Scouts has evolved on several issues, including allowing gays and transgender people into the organization, which has caused an uproar among some religious groups with ties to Scouting.

— kurtis lee, latimes.com, "Mormon Church to sever all ties with Boy Scouts, ending a century-old bond," 9 May 2018
An uproar began in late 2012 over Tracy’s conspiracy theory blog.

— marc freeman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Fired FAU professor who called Sandy Hook massacre a hoax denied new free speech trial," 24 Apr. 2018
Last month, it was revealed that the personal information of more than 87 million Facebook users was shared with data mining and political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, sparking uproar among the public and lawmakers alike.

— jamie ducharme, Fortune, "Mark Zuckerberg Is in the Hot Seat Again. Watch Day 2 of His Congressional Testimony Live," 11 Apr. 2018
Credit Suisse’s remuneration plan for 2016 had caused uproar among shareholders last year.

— Bloomberg.com, "Credit Suisse's Pay Revamp Gets Blessing From Investor Groups," 10 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'uproar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of uproar

by folk etymology from Dutch oproer, from Middle Dutch, from op up (akin to Old English ūp) + roer motion; akin to Old English hrēran to stir

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1526

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

uproar Synonyms

Synonyms

ado, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, commotion, disturbance, foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoopla, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo;

Near Antonyms

calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquillity (or tranquility);

order, orderliness;

disorder, unrest, upheaval;

eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst;

brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee (also mêlée), scuffle;

dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzy;

UPROAR Defined for English Language Learners

uproar

noun

Definition of uproar for English Language Learners

: a situation in which many people are upset, angry, or disturbed by something

UPROAR Defined for Kids

uproar

noun up·roar \ ˈəp-ˌrȯr \

Definition of uproar for Students

: a state of commotion, excitement, or violent disturbance

Now the dining room was in an uproar … as the men jumped to their feet in confusion.
—Judith Berry Griffin, Phoebe the Spy

History for uproar

In spite of appearances, the -roar part of the word uproar has no historical connection with the sound made by some animals. In Dutch oproer means “revolt, uprising,” having been compounded from op, “up,” and roer, “motion.” When the word was taken into English, its Dutch meaning was kept at first, but its spelling was altered to fit already familiar English words. English speakers assumed that the -roar in uproar did indeed refer to loud cries, and so the word went from meaning “uprising” to “a state of commotion.”