Arab Spring

American

noun

a series of uprisings in Arab countries, beginning in Tunisia in December 2010, in which protesters challenged the existing authoritarian regimes.

Etymology

Origin of Arab Spring

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The band helpfully and correctly credits this phrase to Arab Spring activist Wael Ghonim.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026

During the Arab Spring of 2011, protesters throughout the Middle East took to the streets to demand change.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

Libya has struggled to recover from the chaos that erupted following the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled Gaddafi.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

President Saied was elected in 2019 promising a return to stable government following years of political instability after long-time leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted by the "Arab Spring" street protests in 2011.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

Ranks of youth often form the front lines of mass protests—from China’s 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations to the Arab Spring uprisings of the early 2010s, to Myanmar’s youth rebellion against a military coup in 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023