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
The uprising also brought people working in different movements closer together. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026 The 2017-18 protests were followed by another major nationwide wave in 2019 and then the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 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
  • Europe’s ability to meet rising electricity demand, including the power needed to operate AI data centers, Andersen notes, depends on solving its energy dependency problem.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Brands are making more on paper and keeping less in the bank, squeezed from every side by rising ad costs, tariffs and overhead.
    — David Born, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • That’s an improbable description for a longtime Wall Street exec — even more so for one who has spent 26 years climbing the ranks of Goldman Sachs, and who may soon ascend to the CEO job at the storied investment bank.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Shares of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line advanced in sympathy, climbing 6% and about 4%, respectively.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 29 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
  • That’s the catchall term for the shape your spine gradually assumes when your every waking moment revolves around random screening links and unanswered emails.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
  • However, the inn isn’t soundproof and probably isn’t the best choice for families with children who are still waking throughout the night.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 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
  • To pair the piece with Celine’s more tailored pieces like the trousers and blouse added a tonal contrast that still executed on its luxury aesthetic, though with a touch of rebellion.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • These layered styles exuded rebellion and were made famous around the globe by figures like Joan Jett.
    — María Diez, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Chip heavyweight Nvidia is rolling out a new software platform that allows AI developers to set safeguards for agents to prevent them from misbehaving.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Day revealed publicly for the first time the story of how, a decade ago, Prime Video set The Grand Tour’s launch date to time with the streamer rolling out from five to more than 200 territories.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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