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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upheaval
Hitting the new benchmark highlights the upheaval being unleashed by an artificial intelligence craze that’s widely viewed as the biggest tectonic shift in technology since Apple co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone 18 years ago.
—
Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
Then there's the matter of the budget upheaval.
—Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
College students worried about their career prospects in a workforce being transformed by AI should focus on developing skills that’ll endure through such an upheaval, says Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
The conditions that prompted large numbers of migrants to leave countries such as Venezuela, Haiti and Cuba — poverty, hunger, insecurity, political upheaval, persecution — have not changed, Saldivar said.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
Then there's the matter of the budget upheaval.
—Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
College students worried about their career prospects in a workforce being transformed by AI should focus on developing skills that’ll endure through such an upheaval, says Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
The conditions that prompted large numbers of migrants to leave countries such as Venezuela, Haiti and Cuba — poverty, hunger, insecurity, political upheaval, persecution — have not changed, Saldivar said.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval
Noun
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The unrest presents a test for Hassan, who won plaudits after taking office in 2021 for easing repression of opponents and censorship that had increased under her predecessor John Magufuli.—
Reuters 10 hr ago,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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Three people with knowledge of those interests said there was consternation among insiders that forcing Maduro out could foment chaos and unrest and impede their access.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The historian Karen Armstrong argues that our modern focus on belief is a distortion that arose after the scientific revolution.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Nov. 2025
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These are the recipes that launched a cultural revolution and created a mogul out of a one-woman catering business.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Speaking of Grande, a second clip posted Thursday by NBC opens with figure skating champion Alysa Liu performing a breathtaking routine on the ice before something like an earthquake interrupts her.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The turmoil affecting air travel prompted Delta Air Lines on Thursday to demand that Congress reopen the government immediately.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
31 Oct. 2025
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Among Franco’s other movies about worlds in turmoil is New Order, the 2020 Spanish language drama that portrayed a coup d’état in which the wealthy ruling class is replaced by a militarized regime, and which bowed in Venice.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Between 1,500 and 2,000 of Stuart’s men were killed or wounded in less than an hour, forcing the Jacobites to retreat and effectively ending the revolt.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
30 Oct. 2025
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On top of that, heroes aligning with whoever was cut are in open revolt, potentially refusing to pick up calls or outright walking off the job.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Wars and insurrections have afflicted other parts of the Middle East, but Baghdad—a city whose name was once synonymous with suicide bombings and sectarian murder—has been spared.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
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This is not Lozano’s first brush with insurrection.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The East African country has been mired in civil strife ever since the central government collapsed in 1991 following a series of uprisings against the then-military dictatorship.—
Omar S Mahmood,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Following the national uprising over the murder of George Floyd, corporations sought out more women and people of color to diversify their boards of directors.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In addition to preserving natural ecosystems and the sustainable fisheries that depend on them, reefs may help to protect coastlines from storms and floods, which will become ever more urgent as climate change and rising sea levels give rise to more dangerous storms.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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After several major storms led to erosion, those seats have been moved up to a little bluff, just in front of the two pools (thankfully, the beautiful view remains the same).—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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