uproar

noun

up·roar ˈəp-ˌrȯr

Synonyms of uproar next

: a state of commotion, excitement, or violent disturbance

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 on the Web The discovery has sparked uproar in Westfield, an affluent town outside New York City. —

Julie Jargon, WSJ, 2 Nov. 2023 But as reported by Today, the light-skinned wax figure sparked uproar among Johnson’s fans and drew comparisons to Mr. Clean. —

Variety, NBC News, 25 Oct. 2023 The donor backlash at the University of Pennsylvania and uproar at Harvard University over Israel and Palestine highlight how big donations often come with demands for changes to university policy and politics. —

Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 24 Oct. 2023 Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. —

Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023 Unwinding a policy, 5 years later Faced with bipartisan uproar, Trump ended the practice of systematically separating migrant families in June 2018, more than 5 years ago. —

Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2023 That study, in 2019, helped to spur the Trillion Trees movement but also caused a scientific uproar. —

Catrin Einhorn, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023 Nicolas’ death caused uproar across France, sparking new debate over how best to deal with bullies and their victims. —

Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Nov. 2023 His death sparked an uproar in his native Lebanon, as colleagues called for accountability. —

Niha Masih, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'uproar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of uproar was in 1526

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Uproar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uproar. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

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Kids Definition

uproar

noun

up·roar ˈəp-ˌrō(ə)r

-ˌrȯ(ə)r

: a state of commotion, excitement, or violent disturbance

Etymology

from Dutch oproer "revolt, uprising," from op "up" and roer "motion"; the English spelling and meaning influenced by the similarity of the English roar to Dutch roer

Word Origin

The -roar part of the word uproar has no connection with the sounds made by some animals and crowds. The first use of uproar was as the translation of the Dutch word oproer, meaning "uprising, rebellion, revolt." Thus, the first meaning of uproar was the same as the Dutch meaning of oproer. Nowadays, this sense of uproar is no longer used. Because people thought that the roar of uproar referred to loud cries and sounds, they began to use the word to mean "a noisy disturbance or commotion." This is the sense of uproar that has survived.