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
But the corresponding upheaval is still catastrophic for any surrounding planets, which either get swallowed up by the expanding star, or drift into wider orbits as the star’s gravity weakens—some are flung out from the system entirely.
—
Sam MacDonald,
Scientific American,
1 July 2026
No lawmaker wanted to put their name on a bill that might cause such an upheaval among the landowner community, which had brought its resources to bear under Denver’s golden dome.
—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
1 July 2026
Schmitz was hired days after Ujiri's introduction, and with the coaching staff complete, the Mavericks have wrapped up 17 months of upheaval by finishing the move into a new era.
—
CBS News,
29 June 2026
The upheaval surrounding Galyna is just one piece of what the brothers describe as their most chaotic season yet.
—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Sam MacDonald,
Scientific American,
1 July 2026
No lawmaker wanted to put their name on a bill that might cause such an upheaval among the landowner community, which had brought its resources to bear under Denver’s golden dome.
—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
1 July 2026
Schmitz was hired days after Ujiri's introduction, and with the coaching staff complete, the Mavericks have wrapped up 17 months of upheaval by finishing the move into a new era.
—
CBS News,
29 June 2026
The upheaval surrounding Galyna is just one piece of what the brothers describe as their most chaotic season yet.
—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval
Noun
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Chevron benefits from unrest in the Middle East and other factors that can elevate energy prices.
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Shows of extravagance like these have not been met with kindness in a world torn by war, inflation, soaring gas prices and political unrest.
Noun
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The result, historians say, has become a centralized, more politicized spectacle, marking the national milestone as a celebration of an imperial presidency rather than a revolution from kingly rule.
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The company that manufactures the hardware powering the AI revolution acknowledges that the technology is more expensive than the people it was supposed to augment.
Noun
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As a reminder, the Mission San Juan Capistrano tour ends at the ruins of what’s now called the Great Stone Church, which collapsed in an 1812 earthquake that killed 40 Acjachemen worshippers.
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It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.
Noun
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The landlocked mineral-rich nation is facing one of its deepest political crises in decades as economic turmoil, nationwide protests and a battle over the country’s future threaten to reshape the balance of power in South America.
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Political turmoil intensifies as resignations, Russia’s rising threat and pressure from a skeptical United States leave Britain’s next leader to prove the plan can truly safeguard Europe.
Noun
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The Declaration of Independence, often perceived as a tax revolt, explicitly mentions taxes only once among its 27 grievances, dedicating just eight words to the issue.
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Soon, this kind of spirit will carry the 13 colonies to protest, revolt and win the American Revolution.
Noun
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The pair took a big swing in 2022 around the first anniversary of the Capitol insurrection on January 6.
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The violence, described as a failed insurrection by President Cyril Ramaphosa, vandalized more than 160 shopping malls, led to tens of thousands of job losses, and cost the economy roughly $3 billion.
Noun
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An uprising that left inmates in control of a detention center has ended with some people injured, North Carolina officials say.
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Secessionist uprisings in the provinces like Tatarstan or Bashkortistan or Chechnya.
Noun
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Eagle avoided the brunt of the storm as the crew navigated toward open ocean.
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Local Idaho agencies have spent days addressing storm damage caused by a low-pressure system from the Gulf of Alaska that brought winds over 50 mph, lightning, hail and more than an inch of rain to some areas.
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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