as in insurrection
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
there always seems to be insurgency of some type in that troubled country
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Recent Examples of insurgency
The country, which is largely run by its military, is wrestling with political and economic instability, marked by increasing government repression, terrorism, domestic insurgencies, and huge debts.
—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
Today, Ethiopia faces active insurgencies not only in Tigray but Amhara and Oromia too, driven by disputes over autonomy, borders, and ethnic marginalization.
—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
In the 2010s, when Cairo faced an Islamist insurgency in Sinai, including a local branch of the infamous Islamic State, Israel acceded to Egypt’s deployment of additional forces beyond what was permitted in that historical agreement to combat the mutual threat.
—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
With Biden’s presidency, the neo-Brandeisian movement crossed over from insurgency to establishment.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insurgency
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
Today, Ethiopia faces active insurgencies not only in Tigray but Amhara and Oromia too, driven by disputes over autonomy, borders, and ethnic marginalization.
—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
In the 2010s, when Cairo faced an Islamist insurgency in Sinai, including a local branch of the infamous Islamic State, Israel acceded to Egypt’s deployment of additional forces beyond what was permitted in that historical agreement to combat the mutual threat.
—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
With Biden’s presidency, the neo-Brandeisian movement crossed over from insurgency to establishment.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insurgency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insurgency
Noun
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Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led the insurrection after weeks of widespread national protests.
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Penn, known for his strong political convictions, previously attended a public hearing of the House select committee investigating the deadly 2021 insurrection.
Noun
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Soon, this kind of spirit will carry the 13 colonies to protest, revolt and win the American Revolution.
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The rebellion was the first major popular revolt in England’s North American colonies and reflected tensions over frontier settlement, relations with Native Americans, political authority, and access to land.
Noun
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There’s a sketch centered on one of David’s characters not being invited to the Boston Tea Party, as if the rebellious uprising was just another dinner party.
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More recent scholarship has emphasized the complexity of the uprising.
Noun
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The Battle of the Alamo was one of the most monumental conflicts of the Texas Revolution, a rebellion that ended in Texas becoming independent from Mexico and establishing itself as a republic for nearly a decade before US statehood.
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In the press release for the album, you were quoted using the word rebellion when talking about rock and roll.
Noun
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The seeds of mutiny are detectable.
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Within six months, Richards’ side of the group staged a mutiny, locked Diekmann in his apartment, and forced him to relinquish control.
Cite this Entry
“Insurgency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insurgency. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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