Meaning & use
insurrection
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Meaning
nouncountable or uncountableformal
An organized and usually violent rising against a government or other established authority.
Grammar: Countable for particular uprisings and uncountable for the general activity; often followed by against.
Patterns
- an insurrection against something
- suppress an insurrection
- an armed insurrection
The museum exhibit explained an insurrection against the colonial government.
The general claimed the troops were sent to suppress an insurrection.
What began as protests grew into an armed insurrection.
Word forms
| plural | insurrections |
|---|
Common combinations
- armed insurrection
- The novel describes an armed insurrection in a small port city.
- insurrection against authority
- The pamphlet called for insurrection against corrupt authority.
- suppress an insurrection
- The government struggled to suppress the insurrection without mass arrests.
- incite insurrection
- The speech was investigated for allegedly inciting insurrection.
Synonyms and how they differ
- uprising
- Uprising is broader and can be spontaneous or unarmed; insurrection suggests organized resistance against authority and is more formal.
- rebellion
- Rebellion can be open armed defiance or continued refusal to obey, and may be less focused on one event.
- revolt
- Revolt is common in news and history and can mean a sudden rebellion or a strong reaction against control.
- mutiny
- Mutiny is specifically rebellion by soldiers, sailors, or crew against their own officers.
Opposites
Word family
- insurrectionary adjective
- Relating to or promoting insurrection.
- insurrectionist noun
- A person who takes part in an insurrection.
- insurrect verb
- To rise in revolt; rare compared with revolt.
- resurrection noun
- A revival or rising again; similar spelling but different meaning from insurrection.
Commonly confused: insurrection or resurrection? insurrection or insurgency?
insurrection vs resurrection
Resurrection means rising again or revival, especially after death; insurrection is armed rising against authority.
insurrection vs insurgency
Insurgency is a prolonged armed movement by irregular forces; insurrection is a rising or revolt, often a specific event.
Practice
Which sentence best matches the meaning of insurrection?
Choose one answer.
Insurrection means an organized, usually violent rising against authority. Tablecloths and toast are not political revolts, and a silent exam calls for quiet, not rebellion.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “insurrection”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.