sunrise

noun

sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz How to pronounce sunrise (audio)
Synonyms of sunrisenext
1
: the apparent rising of the sun above the horizon
also : the accompanying atmospheric effects
2
: the time when the upper limb of the sun appears above the horizon as a result of the diurnal rotation of the earth

Synonyms of sunrise

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of sunrise in a Sentence

We were up before sunrise. We worked from sunrise to sunset. We watched the sunrise from the beach. the pink light of sunrise
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rain should begin around sunrise on Sunday due to tropical moisture moving by, with the heaviest rain happening late in the morning into the early afternoon hours. — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 The storm’s bright white clouds appear in the loop as the satellite captures the moment of this morning’s sunrise. — Kate S. Petersen, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 Locations with fog will see conditions gradually improve an hour or two after sunrise. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026 The low-angle light plays hobs with conventional solar panels lying flat on a lander, but Blue Origin's Power Tower is designed to exploit the near-eternal sunset/sunrise. — David Szondy october 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sunrise

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sunrise was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing sunrise

Rhymes for sunrise

See All Rhymes for sunrise

Browse Nearby Words

sunray
sunrise
Sunrise
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sunrise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunrise. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sunrise

noun
sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz How to pronounce sunrise (audio)
1
: the apparent rising of the sun above the horizon
also : the accompanying atmospheric effects (as color)
2
: the time at which the sun rises

Geographical Definition

Sunrise

geographical name

Sun·​rise ˈsən-ˌrīz How to pronounce Sunrise (audio)
city in southeastern Florida west of Fort Lauderdale
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All