upheaval
noun
up·heav·al
ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl 
(ˌ)ə-ˈpē-
1
: the action or an instance of upheaving especially of part of the earth's crust
2
: extreme agitation or disorder : radical change
also
: an instance of this
Synonyms
Examples of upheaval in a Sentence
The civil rights movement marked a period of social upheaval in the U.S.
the emotional upheaval of divorce
a period of cultural and social upheavals
The island was created by an upheaval of the ocean floor.
The lake was formed by geologic upheaval.
Recent Examples on the Web
Britain’s reputation for legal and political stability has been rocked by the upheaval of Brexit and the chop-and-change of five different Tory Prime Ministers since 2016.
—
Eli Joseph, Fortune Europe, 6 June 2024
This one finds him in 1970, tracking an ex-husband, navigating gender upheaval.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2024
In fact, Smith, who has faced significant public upheaval in the past few years, is strangely ageless and unaffected in his performance as Miami detective Mike Lowery, easily slipping back into Mike-mode here.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024
RedBird Capital and Weatherford Capital announced Wednesday the creation of Collegiate Athletic Solutions (CAS), which is trying to cash in on a college sports landscape that’s facing significant upheaval.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for upheaval 
Eli Joseph, Fortune Europe, 6 June 2024
This one finds him in 1970, tracking an ex-husband, navigating gender upheaval.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2024
In fact, Smith, who has faced significant public upheaval in the past few years, is strangely ageless and unaffected in his performance as Miami detective Mike Lowery, easily slipping back into Mike-mode here.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024
RedBird Capital and Weatherford Capital announced Wednesday the creation of Collegiate Athletic Solutions (CAS), which is trying to cash in on a college sports landscape that’s facing significant upheaval.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for upheaval
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upheaval.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near upheaval
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upheaval. Accessed 9 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upheaval
noun
up·heav·al
ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl
(ˌ)ə-ˈpē-
1
: the action or an instance of heaving or lifting up from beneath especially of part of the earth's crust
2
: an instance of violent disorder or change
emotional upheaval
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