sunrise

noun

sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz 

1

: the apparent rising of the sun above the horizon

also : the accompanying atmospheric effects

2

: the time when the upper limb of the sun appears above the horizon as a result of the diurnal rotation of the earth

Synonyms

• aurora
• cockcrow
• dawn
• dawning
• day
• daybreak
• daylight
• light
• morn
• morning
• sun
• sunup

Examples of sunrise in a Sentence

We were up before sunrise.

We worked from sunrise to sunset.

We watched the sunrise from the beach.

the pink light of sunrise

Recent Examples on the Web

From an early jog at sunrise to a late-night workout class, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra can track your health and keep up with your workouts without weighing you down. —Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025

For Tillet, the best thing about Sydney in the early morning is experiencing a sunrise at the beach. —Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2025

The best way to view the shooting stars are in the hours before sunrise in a place away from bright city lights, the agency said. —Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 4 May 2025

To find the planetary trio, find a stargazing spot with a clear horizon and head out a little over an hour before sunrise, which will occur at 5:53 a.m. EDT (0953 GMT) for night sky enthusiasts based in New York. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sunrise

• tequila sunrise

Rhymes for sunrise

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

Kids Definition

sunrise

noun

sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz 

1

: the apparent rising of the sun above the horizon

also : the accompanying atmospheric effects (as color)

2

: the time at which the sun rises

Geographical Definition

Sunrise

geographical name

Sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz 

city in southeastern Florida west of Fort Lauderdale population 84,439