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
Iran had already become far more heavily controlled after the January uprising, and once the war broke out in February, the bombardments made the situation become nearly impossible. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026 Hidalgo belonged to a group of conspirators plotting an uprising against the Spanish colonial government of New Spain. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 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
  • Of these three films, The Uprising is admittedly the least heist-explicit; Paul Greengrass’s shaky cam mostly follows marching mobs lambasting the king and furious revolts against soldiers and tax collectors.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Advertisement By midsummer, the revolt reached its breaking point.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • If voters support it, the plan would cost Florida’s local governments about $31 million in the first year, rising to $32 million and then $34 million in the two years after.
    — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Whether the next Resmed Global Sleep Survey shows the 39% partner-disruption figure rising or falling.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The stock gapped higher on that news, then kept climbing into the company's biggest investor event of the year.
    — Tony Zhang, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Intelligence is getting radically cheaper, but enterprise AI bills keep climbing anyway.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Amendment is also a constitution’s mechanism for the prevention of insurrection.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • As Port falls in with a group of conspirators preparing for the insurrection, the book takes on a hallucinatory, digressive quality, blurring the lines between life and death, reality and illusion.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Needing coffee immediately upon waking and experiencing afternoon fatigue, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and sugar cravings.
    — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Police tape and cruisers created a perimeter on Eighth Street as officers moved through the encampment, shining lights, waking people up and telling them to leave so city crews in hazmat gear could begin clearing the space.
    — Brad Hamilton, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Even—perhaps especially—for a Beltway outsider, ascending the American political ladder requires a tremendous amount of glad-handing and personal magnetism, if not charm.
    — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Since the creation of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) in 2011, there have been four categories of academies, each requiring an ascending level of investment and support staff.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • It’s also brilliantly written as a futile, pathetic rebellion by men with zero agency or purpose in their own lives.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In Fernández’s version, Antíkona’s insubordination inspires a peoples’ rebellion and brings an end to Klion’s rule due to his inability to treat citizens with common decency.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Many of these features are now rolling out in iOS 27 with Siri AI.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Craig made three high-level throws to Small in the first half, including a 52-yard strike rolling out to his right.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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