: a rapid or sudden rise
an upsurge in interest
Did you know?
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 years that followed saw an enormous upsurge in new approaches to money and monetary policy, including a resurrection of old debates.
—
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Some observers believe the recent upsurge in violence in both the Lower Artibonite and Cul-de-Sac carry political and electoral overtones, coinciding with a series of protests that have also recently erupted.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Enrique Cerezo, president of Spanish rights group Egeda and the Platino Awards highlighted the upsurge of production in Colombia and other Latin American countries before presenting Argentina’s Guillermo Francello the Platino Honorary Award.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 10 May 2026
Why is there such an upsurge in food allergies in the United States or in Western nations?
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsurge
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.
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Some observers believe the recent upsurge in violence in both the Lower Artibonite and Cul-de-Sac carry political and electoral overtones, coinciding with a series of protests that have also recently erupted.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Enrique Cerezo, president of Spanish rights group Egeda and the Platino Awards highlighted the upsurge of production in Colombia and other Latin American countries before presenting Argentina’s Guillermo Francello the Platino Honorary Award.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 10 May 2026
Why is there such an upsurge in food allergies in the United States or in Western nations?
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upsurge
Cite this Entry
“Upsurge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upsurge. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upsurge
noun
up·surge
ˈəp-ˌsərj 
: a rapid or sudden rise
an upsurge of popularity
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
