up in arms

Idioms  

1. Angry, rebellious, as in The town was up in arms over the state's plan to allow commercial flights at the air base. This idiom originally referred to an armed rebellion and was so used from the late 1500s. Its figurative use dates from about 1700.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

up in arms

“It amazes me that travelers are not up in arms about the way they get treated,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Sorsby had admitted to placing thousands of wagers, including some on his own team while playing at Indiana—and everyone from rival athletic directors to leaders of the Big 12 conference was up in arms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

Farmers across Europe remain unconvinced and are up in arms, including in Spain where they staged a protest against the deal in Madrid earlier this month.

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

The rapper’s overhaul of the dwelling saw it reduced to little more than a concrete shell, decimating almost all of Ando’s original design—and leaving design lovers up in arms over its destruction.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 11, 2025

They put a safety pin through the Queen’s nose and the entire country was up in arms.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García