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
Also on Wednesday, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated a memorial museum dedicated to the 2024 uprising. Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 Bartholomew Port, an Irish writer living in London, returns to his homeland to participate in a literary festival, and arrives on the eve of a populist uprising. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 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
  • Google DeepMind is struggling to retain its technical edge, keep hold of top researchers, and contain an employee revolt over its defense work.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And, at least for now, despite the threat of revolt, internal pressure within FIFA appears to have abated.
    Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Conditions that are too cold might delay proofing or rising, resulting in a super-dense loaf.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Production of solar panels in Nigeria, meanwhile, is expanding rapidly, with local assembly capacity rising from about 120 megawatts to roughly 300 megawatts in the last two years.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And as parents prep to send their kids back to school, cases are climbing in Pennsylvania, according to state data.
    Finch Walker, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • While viewership has been steadily climbing on several Peacock and Bravo properties, 2026 was the year where the reality TV cup runneth over.
    Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 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
  • The band blasted into a machine-gun pace, waking the entire crowd.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Drinking coffee immediately after waking may spike cortisol, causing stress, energy crashes, and disrupted sleep.
    Erin Hooker Published, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • When the conference was in its early stages of ascending to dominance in the late 2000s, two of the greatest coaches of their era called Tuscaloosa and Gainesville home.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • But like Young, Verse was a player ascending but not yet ascended.
    Nate Atkins, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The mythmaking rebellion of Tekena, first of her name, for the sake of a coward’s love was as recognizable to her descendants as their need to cross borders, both ethnic and geographic, in search of a happiness that wasn’t promised.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The rebellion has been absorbed by the very system it was built to replace.
    Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Universities, eager to compete for a shrinking student population, are rolling out new majors intended to prepare students for today’s careers.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Flock is now rolling out tools that flag abnormal search behavior to address the issue, as some cities cancel their contracts.
    Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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