the rise or ascent of the sun above the horizon in the morning.
the atmospheric and scenic phenomena accompanying this.
the time when half the sun has risen above the horizon.
the open or beginning stage of any period.
the daily appearance of the sun above the horizon
the atmospheric phenomena accompanying this appearance
Also called (esp US): sunup. the time at which the sun rises at a particular locality
(modifier) of or relating to sunrise industry
sunrise technology
sunrise sector
1300–50; Middle English, short for sunrising ( see sun, rise, -ing 1)
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Interestingly, the longest day of the year does not necessarily coincide with the earliest sunrise or latest sunset.
From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026
Only after sunrise did people dare to leave their homes, and by then a ferocious fire was huffing thick plumes of smoke over the city.
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
Another concerns so-called "sunrise" and "sunset" clauses under which the EU side of the accord would kick in once the United States makes fully good on its pledges, and would expire unless renewed in 2028.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
HONOLULU—My roommates woke up, one by one, at sunrise last week, zipping open their suitcases and sleepily walking to the bathroom.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
Before sunrise and sunset, however, she is very wakeful and alert; and it has become a habit for Van Helsing to hypnotise her at such times.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
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.
