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

The rebuild of the talent line-up comes after the upheaval at the program that has occurred since Bari Weiss joined CBS News as edtior in chief in October. — Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

That led to political upheaval in several nations, including the United Kingdom and France. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

There may be a faction of owners who see upheaval within the MLB Players Association as evidence of a wounded union, making the timing for a cap push more palatable now. — Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

This year the conference is geared to examining the major upheaval in content and distribution, and to help connect networks, studios, platforms, creators, brands and tech innovators to explore opportunities. — William Earl, Variety, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for upheaval

• coeval
• medieval
• primaeval
• primeval
• retrieval
• evil
• weevil
• mediaeval

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