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
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
Here's when totality begins from time zones in Europe:
6:26 a.m. GMT on Friday, March 14, 2025 (just before sunrise)
7:26 a.m. CET on Friday, March 14, 2025 (just before sunrise)
After March 2025, when is the next total lunar eclipse?
—
Jamie Carter, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Imagine sitting in a cozy chair on your patio every morning to watch the sunrise or lounging in that same chair in the afternoons to watch birds collect seeds from your bird feeder.
—Michelle Mastro, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2025
By midnight, the wolf moon should glow bright and round overhead before disappearing at sunrise into the western horizon.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
By Paddle Head out at sunrise or sunset with paddle boards from local spots such as Reef Beach Rentals and BOTE Grayton Beach, and catch a coastal scene like no other.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sunrise 
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Jamie Carter, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Imagine sitting in a cozy chair on your patio every morning to watch the sunrise or lounging in that same chair in the afternoons to watch birds collect seeds from your bird feeder.
—Michelle Mastro, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2025
By midnight, the wolf moon should glow bright and round overhead before disappearing at sunrise into the western horizon.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
By Paddle Head out at sunrise or sunset with paddle boards from local spots such as Reef Beach Rentals and BOTE Grayton Beach, and catch a coastal scene like no other.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sunrise
Dictionary Entries Near sunrise
Cite this Entry
“Sunrise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunrise. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sunrise
noun
sun·rise
ˈsən-ˌrīz 
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
city in southeastern Florida west of Fort Lauderdale population 84,439
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