upsurge

noun

up·​surge ˈəp-ˌsərj 

: a rapid or sudden rise

an upsurge in interest

Did you know?

An upsurge in drug use sometimes leads to an upsurge in crime. An upsurge of flu cases can be cause for alarm. And an upsurge of fury at overpaid CEOs might lead to new legislation to restrain high salaries. We seem to use upsurge more in negative contexts than in positive ones, but not always; we usually welcome an upsurge of consumer confidence, an upsurge in new-car sales, or an upsurge in the stock market.

Examples of upsurge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Coco Gauff also said goodbye to Brad Gilbert and despite an initial upsurge in form immediately afterwards, the technical deficiencies on serve continue to be egregious. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The upsurge of generative AI demand has coincided with a push to find more efficient cooling solutions in data centers, particularly liquid cooling — a process in which water is used to lower the temperatures of servers and other electronic equipment. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024

Alternatively, its upsurge might indicate that the virus has become more infectious — a very concerning, albeit less likely, development. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

Add in an upsurge in adolescent anxiety and depression, and the degree of difficulty is not for the faint of heart. —Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

upsurge

noun

up·​surge ˈəp-ˌsərj 

: a rapid or sudden rise

an upsurge of popularity