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Definitions

up in arms

ADVERB
upset and ready to fight
Synonyms
WEAK
at odds at swords' points at war hostile in an uproar in the midst of battle prepared for war provoked wrought up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The rapper’s overhaul of the dwelling saw it reduced to little more than a concrete shell, decimating almost all of Ando’s original design — and leaving design lovers up in arms over its destruction.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

Farmers across Europe remain unconvinced and are up in arms, including in Spain where they staged a protest against the deal in Madrid earlier this month.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Fans are "equally up in arms and devastated at what happened", he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2025

It should come as no surprise that Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss leaves behind a program in disarray and a fan base up in arms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Simultaneous and contradictory information declared him victorious in Villanueva, defeated in Guacamayal, devoured by Motilón Indians, dead in a village in the swamp, and up in arms again in Urumita.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez