upsurge

noun

up·​surge ˈəp-ˌsərj How to pronounce upsurge (audio)
: a rapid or sudden rise
an upsurge in interest

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An upsurge in drug use sometimes leads to an upsurge in crime. An upsurge of flu cases can be cause for alarm. And an upsurge of fury at overpaid CEOs might lead to new legislation to restrain high salaries. We seem to use upsurge more in negative contexts than in positive ones, but not always; we usually welcome an upsurge of consumer confidence, an upsurge in new-car sales, or an upsurge in the stock market.

Examples of upsurge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The administration is also pushing to expedite the deployment of the Kenyan force — a mission first proposed by Washington over 16 months ago that finally appeared on track in recent weeks, before the upsurge in violence began. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 The upsurge began before the war in Gaza and has now accelerated, bringing intense debate over how to define an ancient hatred in modern times — in particular, where robust opposition to Israel or Zionism crosses the line into antisemitism. David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023 The ongoing upsurge in violence in Haiti has forced more than 300,000 Haitians from their homes and continues to hinder the delivery of food and other aide by humanitarian agencies. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 The upsurge in killings is part of a broader pattern that got worse during economic hard times and pandemic lockdowns, human rights activists say. Abdi Latif Dahir, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Further measures became necessary due to an upsurge in development projects after World War II, such as the installation of the U.S. Interstate Highway System in the 1950s. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2024 And the abrupt upsurge of demand for wind turbines after Russia cut off natural gas to Europe has left the supply cupboard bare. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2024 This set the foundation for the tremendous upsurge in workers mobilizing, organizing and demanding change. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023 At the time Volodin spoke those words, the Kremlin was basking in an upsurge of national euphoria following the annexation of Crimea. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 1 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upsurge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upsurge was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near upsurge

Cite this Entry

“Upsurge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upsurge. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

upsurge

noun
up·​surge ˈəp-ˌsərj How to pronounce upsurge (audio)
: a rapid or sudden rise
an upsurge of popularity

More from Merriam-Webster on upsurge

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