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

a period of social upheaval

also : an instance of this

one of human history's greatest upheavals

Synonyms of upheaval

• unrest
• revolution
• earthquake
• turmoil
• revolt
• insurrection
• uprising
• storm
• tumult
• convulsion

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

In that time, though, Garijo has reshaped the group’s portfolio with divestitures and acquisitions, redesigned its supply chain to be more resilient to tariff upheavals, and announced plans to hand her title over to Kai Beckmann, the CEO of its electronics division, in May. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 14 Nov. 2025

Flor de Caña has beaten the odds, surviving its share of upheaval throughout its history. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 13 Nov. 2025

Being a parent during this upheaval. —Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025

However, there has been no ruling in Netanyahu’s long-running trial which began in 2020 and has been interrupted frequently during two years of war and Middle East upheaval. —Reuters, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for upheaval

• coeval
• medieval
• primeval
• retrieval
• evil
• weevil

Kids 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