uprising 1 of 2

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
But as his king’s new wife Jane Seymour (Kate Phillips) fails to provide him a male heir and an uprising in the north of England threatens the delicate state of the realm, Cromwell’s enemies begin to circle while the king (Damian Lewis) grows ever more unpredictable. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025 Through these actions, dozens of major perpetrators have been detained, including Atef Najib, Assad’s political security chief, who is linked to the torture of children in Daraa Province, an act that helped spark the 2011 uprising. Patrick Vinck, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025 Karla Jay remembers joining the second night of street protests during the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. Orion Rummler, Them, 17 Mar. 2025 Egypt’s military governments have long been deeply distrustful of Islamist movements, notably the homegrown Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, and Sisi himself came to power in a military coup against a Muslim Brotherhood president who was elected after the uprising of 2011. Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for uprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uprising
Noun
  • That led to a developer revolt, a subreddit blackout, and the shutdown of some popular Reddit clients.
    Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The revolt against Tesla is not slowing down, and in some cases people are outright getting rid of their cars.
    Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Tensions are rising in the country as two potential presidents claim legitimacy.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Dec. 2024
  • The Consumer Pulse report showed that 51 percent of shoppers are anxious about the rising cost of living driven by higher energy and housing costs in the winter months.
    Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Bitcoin has rebounded to over $100,000 after a lull during the holiday period, climbing along with stock markets.
    Billy Bambrough, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Every child should know the awe of watching the sun rise over a pristine lake, the challenge of climbing a rugged trail, and the quiet of a night sky untouched by city lights.
    Alex Stout, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Fitch cited the January 6th insurrection as a significant concern.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The exchange comes after the president issued a blanket pardon for nearly all of those charged for the insurrection just hours after returning to the White House.
    Tara Suter, The Hill, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Most climbers ascending the Grand are protected by belay ropes in case of a fall.
    Jim Clash, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
  • The vote happens in ascending player order this time.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The hit show returns with its sixth and final season on April 8, and audiences should brace for an explosive finale as the rebellion in Gilead finally ignites.
    Abigail Lee, Variety, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The title is borrowed from Elizabeth Alexander’s fourth collection persona poems, historical narratives, jazz riffs, sonnets, elegies, and a sequence of ars poetica which examines the Black experience through the lens of the slave rebellion on the Amistad and nineteenth-century American art.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This isn’t a flippant analogy; during the Indian mutiny of 1857, British soldiers looted the Taj Mahal, removing rare gems and lapis lazuli.
    Ralph Leonard, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025
  • Death in a hail of bullets has been used to punish mutinies and desertion in armies, as frontier justice in America’s Old West, and as a tool of terror and political repression in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.
    Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • One thing is clear; AI success is a journey, and the ability to rapidly leverage and adapt resources and technology is key — as new technologies and capabilities keep arising almost every day.
    Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Some of these traits worsen with age, again arising from a fear of losing control.
    Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Uprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uprising. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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