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

On Thursday, he left everybody in the stands rooting for the Dodgers up in arms, booing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

The press corps, which had been left on the decoy Presidential plane, understandably is up in arms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

U.S. voters aren’t the only ones up in arms about affordability.

From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 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