noun
Synonym Usage
See disorder.
Etymology
Origin of uproar
1520–30; < Dutch oproer revolt, tumult, translation of German Aufruhr; sense and spelling influenced by roar
Explanation
Any kind of noisy disturbance can be called an uproar. A large group of political protesters outside City Hall is likely to create an uproar. There's often an uproar in the audience of a rock concert when the band first appears on stage — people cheer and applaud and whistle. An announcement that the neighborhood donut shop is out of donuts could create another kind of uproar, especially if people have been standing in a long line dreaming of crullers and chocolate glazed donuts. Uproar comes from the German Aufruhr, "a stirring up."
Vocabulary lists containing uproar
This Week in Words: October 13 – 20, 2018
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Crash
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Out of My Mind
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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.
Plus, Iran faces a second day of U.S. strikes, and a wall built to protect a golf course causes an uproar.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
That doesn’t mean, however, that the gaming enthusiasts who’ve made such an uproar online are to be easily dismissed, or that they’re wrong about why this is a misguided business move in the long term.
From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026
Despite the uproar, the former majority owner of TikTok has quietly continued to court filmmakers, independent artists and executives who are eager to adopt the AI video generation model called Seedance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026
The 44-year-old says there's a "bit of an uproar" about inappropriate messages on social media which is leading to more women choosing not to treat men.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
From the table at Winston’s left, a little behind his back, someone was talking rapidly and continuously, a harsh gabble almost like the quacking of a duck, which pierced the general uproar of the room.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
