intifada

noun

in·​ti·​fa·​da ˌin-tə-ˈfä-də How to pronounce intifada (audio)
plural intifadas
: uprising, rebellion
specifically : an armed uprising of Palestinians against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
I was a college student at Tufts University in December 1987, when the first Palestinian intifada began. Hady Amr
… in 2000, the second intifada struck with the force of an earthquake. As Palestinians fought Israeli troops, the West Bank became all but ungovernable. Karen E. Lange

Examples of intifada in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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He was involved in planning attacks during the second intifada for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, the AP reported. Greg Norman, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025 Throughout the first intifada – a Palestinian uprising lasting from 1987 to 1993 – the Israeli army raided the Jenin camp many times, seeking to arrest members of militant groups. Maha Nassar, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2025 That year, troops raided several cities at the height of a Palestinian uprising, known as the second intifada, which began with protests before leading to a surge in Palestinian attacks on civilians in Israel. Fatima Abdulkarim, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025 Barghouti, who once was a commander in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, was given a life sentence for dispatching assailants and suicide bombers to carry out attacks that killed Israeli civilians during the second intifada. Greg Norman, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for intifada

Word History

Etymology

Arabic intifāḍa, literally, the act of shaking off

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intifada was in 1985

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Cite this Entry

“Intifada.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intifada. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

intifada

noun
in·​ti·​fa·​da ˌint-ə-ˈfäd-ə How to pronounce intifada (audio)
Etymology

Arabic intifāda, literally, "the act of shaking off"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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