Thesaurus results for UPHEAVAL

upheaval

noun

ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl

Definition of upheaval

as in unrest

a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order) the government can no longer control the social upheaval brought about by the collapse of the country's economy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of upheaval The upheaval Luther helped unleash became the Protestant Reformation, permanently reshaping Christianity and European history. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Oct. 2026 In an unprecedented upheaval, the BBC is set to close its BBC Three and BBC Scotland TV channels in the spring. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 Management upheaval at Netflix continued Monday as the streamer’s head of films Dan Lin exited. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Wedbush late last week wrote in its report that the engagement changes are going to take some time, even longer with all the staff upheaval. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for upheaval

Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval

Noun

The unrest began after high school students took to the streets last month to denounce poor conditions and resources at their campuses.

— Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Those clashes came as social unrest has set Europe's streets ablaze from France and Italy to Spain and Portugal, fueled by youth frustration over the state of public education, social services and the high cost of housing.

— JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of unrest

Noun

For Middleton and Kate, George’s departure marked a small revolution.

— Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
Anthropic aims to realize these benefits while navigating and preventing the risks that come with a technological revolution this fast and this powerful.

— Robert Hart, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of revolution

Noun

The earthquake's epicenter was roughly 18 miles west of Petrolia and occurred at a depth of 8 miles.

— CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the earthquake also left more than 45,000 homes damaged, 9,000 destroyed, and 140 buildings collapsed.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of earthquake

Noun

Bass has talked up the city’s drop in violent crime, including a 47% reduction in homicides, and warned that Raman’s plan to remove the police chief would throw the LAPD into turmoil right before the Olympics.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
Strict controls on capital flows limit foreign investors’ participation in Chinese markets, reducing the possibility that turmoil could spread internationally.

— John Liu, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of turmoil

Noun

The legendary protests of May, 1968, began as a student revolt against the bureaucracy of the French university system, and brought France to the verge of revolution yet again.

— Maurice Samuels, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026
That might have caused something of a revolt among American NFL fans wanting to drive down the road to their local team's stadium and enjoy America's game – in America.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of revolt

Noun

By then, graffiti had been scrubbed from the central monument that pays tribute to the French Republic, including its tradition of insurrection.

— Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
My assumption that the guest speakers’ anti-Communist insurrection might resonate with today’s youth and their antisystem rebellion proved to be mistaken.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of insurrection

Noun

Just weeks after the experiment ended, a prison uprising at Attica Correctional Facility in New York was thwarted with deadly force, resulting in 43 deaths.

— Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
France's post-revolution history is not a solid story of protests and reforms, but of cycles of popular uprisings, repression, mobilization and political concessions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of uprising

Noun

North of the center near Kakinada, the storm could cause about 3 to 5 feet of storm surge, where onshore winds pile water against the coast.

— Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
In the wake of October 7, antisemitism has been an issue the BBC has struggled to get to grips with and documentary strand Storyville is in the eye of the storm.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of storm

Browse Nearby Words

upgrading

upheaval

upheavals

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of upheaval

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

satiate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 SCRABBLE Dictionary

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes