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
Cosmo Jarvis stars as Wat Tyler, the real historical figure at the heart of the uprising. David Faris, TheWeek, 1 Sep. 2026 So far, ordinary Iranians are bearing the brunt and feeling apathetic, meaning surviving leaders, for now, might face a lower risk of an uprising. Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 1 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
  • The tax revolt was a successful attempt by a small group of ideologues to capitalize on people’s justifiable anger at the cost-of-living crisis that followed the war in Vietnam, along with California’s runaway home prices.
    Maggie McGowan, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Corbet issued a statement defending the AI use cases amid swelling online revolt.
    Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The decision was widely expected due to the country's rising inflation and historically weak yen.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The violins dig into the first three notes of a rising theme — only to tumble suddenly into a hushed dance, which Mahler marks grazioso.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Oil prices have climbed alongside the escalation, even as Hormuz flows have been climbing back.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Now that real riders are climbing inside, the little details suddenly become much more important.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 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
  • Nobody ever seriously believed Belichick was going to morph into a headphones-wearing, sideline-waking Susan Lucci, the soap opera megastar who waited 19 years before finally winning a Daytime Emmy.
    Steve Buckley, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The 30-30-30 method calls for eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking, followed by 30 minutes of low-intensity movement.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 2 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
  • Meanwhile, Yudkowsky took such tropes of rebellion and rule-breaking and built a philosophical apparatus around them.
    Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The Uprising’s final act does get unwieldy, as the director tries to show just how the rebellion was betrayed.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Frankfort distillery is rolling out a whole new way to buy a bottle.
    Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Shaheed is the third (at best) option in the passing game of a run-first team that will be rolling out a backup under center until Sam Darnold’s butt heals (true story).
    Gary Davenport, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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