Spanish word

sublevar

Pronunciation

IPA/suβleˈβaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbrebel

Example

Los jóvenes suelen sublevarse contra las normas.

Young people often rebel against the rules.

Illustration for sublevar (rebel)

More examples

Los trabajadores se sublevaron contra las malas condiciones.

The workers rebelled against the poor conditions.

Core concept

A crowd being roused to rise up against authority.

Common phrases

  • sublevar a la gente

    incite people

  • sublevarse por las condiciones laborales

    rebel against working conditions

Similar words

incitar: Prompts a person to act through suggestion, provocation, or coercion.
rebelar: Instigates people to rebel by inspiring deliberate disobedience or revolt.
insurreccionar: Ignites a broad, often violent, insurrection or rebellion against authorities.

Definition in Spanish

Provocar o participar en una revuelta contra el poder o las normas, a veces movilizando a otras personas.

Word origin

From Latin sublevare 'raise up' (sub 'under' + levare 'lift'), originally 'lift from below' and then 'rouse', giving the sense of inciting or rebelling.

Usage tips

  • The verb is both transitive (sublevar a alguien, 'incite someone') and reflexive (sublevarse, 'rise up'), and the reflexive form commonly appears with contra when people rise against a power.

Other meanings

  • inciteverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word