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
  • Highs are forecast to cool to 89 on Sunday, 85 on Monday and 88 on Tuesday before rising to 90 on Wednesday, 94 on Thursday and 92 on Friday, the forecast showed.
    Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Both Florida and Denmark are facing rising sea levels due a warmer global climate, which causes glaciers to melt and seawater to expand.
    Zoey Thomas, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Markets barely registered the announcement, with yields dropping before climbing back up.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But Brent resumed climbing as conflict persisted, topping $100 per barrel again in July before wavering and then hitting that mark again late Tuesday.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Stephen Colbert’s award-winning Late Show was canceled in a move that many have labeled political appeasement, and the flagship evening newscast baselessly recast the January 6 insurrection as a partisan squabble.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 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
  • Just like that, a team that won the Super Bowl while still ascending heard its first thump of the new season.
    Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The late monarch reigned for 35 years, after ascending the throne in 1991 following his own father’s death.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • We’ve been told that Juliette is a once-in-a-generation leader, capable of pushing a rebellion further than it’s ever gone before.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • So using a Mexican bean in a staple of Italian home cooking was surprising, almost like an act of rebellion.
    Margy Rochlin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Muse is rolling out to adults in the US for free first, and Meta plans to add the agent to its AI smart glasses soon, but didn’t provide a timeline or specify which agentic features this would involve.
    Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The free program is rolling out in select neighborhoods, providing free preschool for more than 2,000 children.
    John Dias, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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