insurgency
Americannoun
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the state or condition of being insurgent.
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insurrection against an existing government, usually one's own, by a group not recognized as having the status of a belligerent.
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rebellion within a group, as by members against leaders.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of insurgency
First recorded in 1795–1805; insurg(ent) + -ency
Explanation
An insurgency is a movement within a country dedicated to overthrowing the government. An insurgency is a rebellion. Insurgencies are movements to overthrow governments. The United States was founded by an insurgency, when the colonies fought England for independence. In the Star Wars movies, the rebel forces stage an insurgency. Around the world, many insurgencies exist, using violent and other means. Insurgency is also used for less serious situations: for example, a rebellious group within a company, political party, or school could be called an insurgency. All insurgencies are made up of rebels.
Vocabulary lists containing insurgency
The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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The Middle East and Central Asia - High School
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"On the Vietnam War, 1967," Vocabulary from the speech
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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.
Inspired by Khalra's life, the film follows an activist investigating alleged human rights abuses during Punjab's separatist insurgency, one of the bloodiest chapters in modern Indian history.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
Burkina Faso, like its neighbour Mali, has been battling an Islamist insurgency for over a decade, often alongside French forces deployed in the region.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
Given that the bulk of mainline members and leaders are elderly, a grassroots insurgency makes sense.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
It left Islamabad facing once again the prospect of war in a nation on its border across from southern Balochistan, where authorities are already dealing with a growing insurgency.
From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026
During the Vietnam War, John and Marti Peterson spent three perilous years together in neighboring Laos, where John trained and advised a guerrilla army to fight the communist insurgency there.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
