upheaval
up·heav·al
noun \ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl, (ˌ)ə-ˈpē-\Definition of UPHEAVAL
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
Examples of UPHEAVAL
- 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.
First Known Use of UPHEAVAL
1838
Related to UPHEAVAL
- Synonyms
- bouleversement, cataclysm, earthquake, paroxysm, storm, tempest, tumult, convulsion, uproar
Other Geology Terms
Rhymes with UPHEAVAL
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