First Known Use: 1526
Dictionary
uproar
noun up·roar \ˈəp-ˌrȯr\
: a situation in which many people are upset, angry, or disturbed by something
Full Definition of UPROAR
: a state of commotion, excitement, or violent disturbance
See uproar defined for English-language learners
See uproar defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of UPROAR
by folk etymology from Dutch oproer, from Middle Dutch, from op up (akin to Old English ūp) + roer motion; akin to Old English hrēran to stir
Related to UPROAR
- Synonyms
- ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter [chiefly dialect], coil, corroboree [Australian], disturbance, do [chiefly dialect], foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha (also hoo-hah), hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry (or hurry-skurry), kerfuffle [chiefly British], moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore [Scottish], squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, commotion, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo
Rhymes with UPROAR
abhor, adore, afore, and/or, as for, ashore, backdoor, bailor, bandore, Bangor, bedsore, before, bezoar, bookstore, box score, but for, call for, candor, captor, centaur, chain store, claymore, closed-door, cold sore, cold store, condor, Côte d'Or, decor, deplore, dime-store, Dior, done for, donor, downpour, drugstore, Dutch door, encore, ephor, explore, eyesore, fall for, feoffor, fetor, Fillmore, first floor, flexor, folklore, footsore, foreshore, fourscore, French door, full-bore, Gabor, galore, Glen More, go for, ground floor, gun for, hard-core, hog score, ichor, ignore, implore, Indore, indoor, in for, inshore, in-store, Kotor, Lahore, lakeshore, lector, lee shore, lessor, line score, look for, Luxor, memoir, mentor, Mysore, nearshore, Nestor, next-door, offshore, onshore, outdoor, outpour, phosphor, psywar, rancor, rapport, raptor, raw score, Realtor, restore, rhetor, savior, seafloor, seashore, sector, seignior, Senghor, senhor, sensor, settlor, Seymour, signor, smoothbore, s'more, soft-core, sophomore, stand for, stentor, stertor, storm door, Strathmore, stressor, stridor, subfloor, swear for, Tagore, take for, temblor, tensor, therefor, therefore, threescore, Timor, trapdoor, turgor, vendor, what's more, wherefore, wild boar, woodlore, z-score
UPROAR Defined for Kids
uproar
noun up·roar \ˈəp-ˌrȯr\
Definition of UPROAR for Kids
: a state of commotion, excitement, or violent disturbance <Now the dining room was in an uproar … as the men jumped to their feet in confusion. — Judith Berry Griffin, Phoebe the Spy>
Word History of UPROAR
In spite of appearances, the -roar part of the word uproar has no historical connection with the sound made by some animals. In Dutch oproer means “revolt, uprising,” having been compounded from op, “up,” and roer, “motion.” When the word was taken into English, its Dutch meaning was kept at first, but its spelling was altered to fit already familiar English words. English speakers assumed that the -roar in uproar did indeed refer to loud cries, and so the word went from meaning “uprising” to “a state of commotion.”
Learn More About UPROAR
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: uproariousPrevious Word in the Dictionary: upriverAll Words Near: uproar
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up uproar? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).