insurgency

in·sur·gen·cy
I1N1S1U1R1G2E1N1C3Y4
UK/ɪnˈsɜːd͡ʒənsi/US/ɪnˈsɝd͡ʒənsi/

noun

rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent

“suppress the insurgency by isolating the rebels from the rest of the population”

Similar
insurgence
OriginEnglish insurgent ← Latin īnsurgentem ← Proto-Italic *regō →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nouninsurgency (countable and uncountable, plural insurgencies)

plural insurgencies

  1. countableuncountablerebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent

    suppress the insurgency by isolating the rebels from the rest of the population

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan organized rebellion aimed at overthrowing a constituted government through the use of subversion and armed conflict

Similar
insurgence
Broader
rebellioninsurrectionrevolt
Also see
insurgenceinsurrection

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Italic*en
  3. Proto-Italic*en-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  6. Proto-Italic*supo
  7. Latinsub
  8. Latinsub-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*h₃reǵ-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*h₃réǵeti
  11. Proto-Italic*regō
  12. Latinregō
  13. Latinsubrigō
  14. Latinsurrigō
  15. Latinsurgō
  16. Latinīnsurgō
  17. Latinīnsurgentem
  18. Englishinsurgent
  19. Englishinsurgency

From insurgent + -cy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic تَمَرُّد, عِصْيَان
  • تَمَرُّد (tamarrud)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • عِصْيَان (ʕiṣyān)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Chinese Mandarin 起義 /起义, 暴動 /暴动
  • 起義 /起义 (qǐyì)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • 暴動 /暴动 (bàodòng)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • 叛亂 /叛乱 (pànluàn)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Czech povstání, vzpoura
  • povstánírebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • vzpourarebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Danish oprør
  • oprørrebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Finnish kapina
  • kapinarebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Hindi विद्रोह
  • विद्रोह (vidroh)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Japanese 内乱
  • 内乱 (nairan)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Korean 분란전
  • 분란전 (bullanjeon)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Latin rebelliō, rebellium
  • rebelliōrebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • rebelliumrebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Polish insurekcja, powstanie
  • insurekcjarebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • powstanierebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Portuguese insurgência
  • insurgênciarebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Romanian insurgență
  • insurgențărebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Russian бунт, восста́ние
  • бунт (bunt)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • восста́ние (vosstánije)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
  • мяте́ж (mjatéž)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Swedish uppror
  • upprorrebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Thai กบฏ
  • กบฏ (gà-bòt)rebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Turkish isyan
  • isyanrebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent
Vietnamese cuộc nổi dậy
  • cuộc nổi dậyrebellion; revolt; the state of being insurgent

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with insurgency

emergencyurgencycounterinsurgencyassurgencydetergencydivergencyresurgencysurgeoncyturgencyvergency
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

insurgency. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/insurgency

MLA

“insurgency.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/insurgency. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “insurgency,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/insurgency.

Source: insurgency on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.