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
Taiwan’s National Day is held on the anniversary ‌of a 1911 uprising that led to ​the overthrow of China’s last imperial dynasty and the establishment of ‌the Republic of China. — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2026 As a teen, Kuvshynova briefly aided foreign reporters during the popular uprising in 2014 against Ukraine's then pro-Russian president, who ultimately fled. — David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 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 2022 Freedom Convoy began over vaccine requirements for cross-border truckers but grew into a broader revolt against pandemic restrictions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Advertisement The Yellow Vest revolt of 2018 to 2019 was an earlier social explosion of precisely that resentment.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Fighting autocracy and inequality The Ford Foundation frames its new plan as its answer to rising autocracy, widening inequality, and fading public trust.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This was in 2024 and 2025, when the AI craze was in full swing and Claude and ChatGPT adoption was rising.
    — Brian Jenney, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • With prices climbing faster than paychecks, small changes to everyday spending can help stretch your budget.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Go plays Park Hyun-tae, an executive director in Chronic Motors’ Seoul office who has come back from the company’s European headquarters after climbing the corporate ladder at a young age.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • How is the Schaumburg Democrat grappling with that fateful outcome, while preparing to depart Congress after 10 tumultuous years, which included a pandemic, an insurrection and impeachment proceedings?
    — Marni Pyke, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The film argues that those foundational principles — along with the amendment’s prohibition against those who engage in insurrection serving as heads of state — have come under unprecedented pressure in recent years.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Your body’s stress hormone peaks naturally about an hour after waking, and layering caffeine on top amplifies the spike.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Cortisol, the stress hormone, rises naturally after waking and peaks about an hour later.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • And even locally, there’s a distinct difference between this season and last season, when the Magic had just traded for Desmond Bane and fans were giddy about the possibilities of a young, ascending team.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The single begins with Timothée Chalamet humming before ascending into the war chant.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Within 36 hours one of the prisoners had an apparent mental breakdown, and on the second day the inmates staged a rebellion.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In their utopian reconstruction of a mythic past, the Agrarians’ polemics failed to mention the South’s legacies of slavery and rebellion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Kicking in from December, the agreement sees titles rolling out on Netflix through mid-2027.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Ternus, a product engineering savant, has been establishing himself by rolling out new devices meant to cement Apple’s hardware supremacy, most notably the company’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, which Ternus unveiled in September.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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