Definition of uprisingnext
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government) the uprising was quickly and brutally suppressed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

uprising

2 of 2

verb

present participle of uprise

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun uprising differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of uprising are insurrection, mutiny, rebellion, revolt, and revolution. While all these words mean "an outbreak against authority," uprising implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.

quickly put down the uprising

When would mutiny be a good substitute for uprising?

The words mutiny and uprising are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mutiny applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.

a mutiny led by the ship's cook

When could rebellion be used to replace uprising?

The meanings of rebellion and uprising largely overlap; however, rebellion implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.

open rebellion against the officers

How are the words revolt and insurrection related as synonyms of uprising?

Both 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

Where would revolution be a reasonable alternative to uprising?

In some situations, the words revolution and uprising are roughly equivalent. However, revolution applies to a successful rebellion resulting in a major change (as in government).

a political revolution that toppled the monarchy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of uprising
Noun
But Qaddafi’s military forces were decisively defeated by Western airpower and his objective of crushing a popular uprising by force was rendered impossible. — Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026 Since the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, began in 1987, human rights organizations have documented how seldom investigations into Israeli soldiers’ killings of Palestinians resulted in prosecution. — Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
Hasina blames uprising on 'coordinated assault' Instead, Hasina on Wednesday blamed the violence on the protesters. — Shamim Chowdhury, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026 But was that uprising really such a good idea? — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for uprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uprising
Noun
  • That might have caused something of a revolt among American NFL fans wanting to drive down the road to their local team's stadium and enjoy America's game – in America.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The combination of slow growth, high inflation, profligate spending, and soaring debt has stirred a revolt in financial markets.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Fighting autocracy and inequality The Ford Foundation frames its new plan as its answer to rising autocracy, widening inequality, and fading public trust.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This was in 2024 and 2025, when the AI craze was in full swing and Claude and ChatGPT adoption was rising.
    — Brian Jenney, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Video footage released by Romania's intelligence service showed a person climbing the ladder of a building's fire escape, followed by brief flashes and flames engulfing a building.
    — STEPHEN McGRATH, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The initial spending surge is climbing but losing steam as AI capex growth as a share of GDP slows, the boost from last year’s tax depreciation incentives fades, and the stock-market wealth effect cools.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The insurrection drew immediate and obvious parallels to the United States, which, during much of the past decade, has lurched alongside Brazil through a strange hall of mirrors.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond calling and readying Americans for a fight against the insurrection, Lincoln also outlined the meaning and memory of the conflict about to commence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The quest for deals occupies my every waking moment, with dozens of browser tabs monitoring major retailers, news releases, price comparisons, and more.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Drink a glass of water with breakfast or shortly after waking to help your kidneys remove waste and stay hydrated.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • And even locally, there’s a distinct difference between this season and last season, when the Magic had just traded for Desmond Bane and fans were giddy about the possibilities of a young, ascending team.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The single begins with Timothée Chalamet humming before ascending into the war chant.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • As the competition unfolds, Haymitch risks everything to take down the Games from within the arena — setting in motion the rebellion that will change Panem forever.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026
  • My assumption that the guest speakers’ anti-Communist insurrection might resonate with today’s youth and their antisystem rebellion proved to be mistaken.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Apple is rolling out support for Google’s SynthID AI watermark in Photos and Image Playground, too, according to 9to5Mac.
    — Emma Roth, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Kicking in from December, the agreement sees titles rolling out on Netflix through mid-2027.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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