uprising 1 of 2

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
Both men were leaders of a counterinsurgency against an uprising in the region, a conflict that in 2005 led to the longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir becoming the world’s first sitting leader to be indicted by the International Criminal Court on suspicion of genocide. Sara Monetta, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2025 Protests erupted, but Guaido ultimately failed to gain military backing and provoke an uprising. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025 While short-lived, the uprising had far-reaching consequences across England and mainland Europe. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2025 Minutes before, during a speech in Howell, Michigan, Vice President JD Vance had offered to send National Guard troops to Detroit — a majority Black city still scarred by the military crackdown on its racial uprising nearly 60 years ago. Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for uprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uprising
Noun
  • Critiques from the American right, which lament the film’s timely depictions of a police state, immigrant internment camps and leftist revolt, read like ChatGPT essays programmed to write in the voice of Karen.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The film, which is Palestine’s entry for the Best International Feature category of the Oscars, tells the story of the Arab revolt against British colonial rule in Palestine in the 1930s.
    Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • There are trade-offs, of course—rising Obamacare premiums will harm people, too.
    Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Both consultants estimated that inflation in Caracas is currently running between 20% and 30% a month and is destined to keep rising as long as the bolivar depreciation continues.
    Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • As Arizona squeezes more money from its decreasing share of river water, freighting every drop with critical industries and a booming housing market, the price of water is bound to keep climbing.
    Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The series is already becoming an obsession among Apple TV subscribers, quickly climbing up the streamer's top TV charts.
    Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Federal law allows the president to use military force domestically only in cases of insurrection or when enforcement of federal laws becomes impossible through civilian agencies.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • During her time in Congress, Liz Cheney, a Republican, also voted to impeach Trump and led the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Try to eat breakfast soon after waking, keep mealtimes regular, and avoid heavy meals right before bed.
    Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Leanos recalls her sister waking her up to tell her that the video was going viral.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In fact, rumors even indicate a funeral has already been planned and Prince William has taken on more duties in preparation for ascending the throne.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Sixteen years ago, food scientists in Brazil created a new system called Nova, which grouped foods into four ascending health categories based on processing.
    David A. Brenner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • While details of Gatwa’s character are not yet known, Erivo’s Jayne is described as a trailblazing fairy whose defiant streak sparks a rebellion.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2025
  • From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The new design—which features gold screw-cap lids to seal in freshness and refined burgundy-and-gold labels—will begin rolling out nationwide between now and January 2026.
    Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Nasser drives a Tesla, which began rolling out its Grok AI conversational assistant feature in July 2025.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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