upend

verb

up·​end ˌəp-ˈend 

upended; upending; upends

transitive verb

1

: to set or stand on end

also : overturn sense 1

2

a

: to affect to the point of being upset or flurried

a … literary shocker, designed to upend the credulous matrons

—Wolcott Gibbs

b

: defeat, beat

intransitive verb

: to rise on an end

Synonyms

• beat
• best
• conquer
• defeat
• dispatch
• do down [British]
• get
• get around
• lick
• master
• overbear
• overcome
• overmatch
• prevail (over)
• skunk
• stop
• subdue
• surmount
• take
• trim
• triumph (over)
• win (against)
• worst

Examples of upend in a Sentence

He upended the bicycle to fix its flat tire.

I upended the bucket to use as a stool.

The security inspector upended my bag and dumped everything out.

A giant wave upended the surfers.

The midfielder was upended before he got the ball.

Recent Examples on the Web

There are still multiple government death counts for an event that upended the lives of thousands of people. —Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 10 June 2024

Image Russia’s invasion had upended every aspect of life in Ukraine, intensifying the demand for a quick hit of caffeine that didn’t require a cafe, boiling water, a coffee mug or a tea bag. —Jeffrey Gettleman, New York Times, 8 June 2024

Like Gossip Girl and The Heirs before it, Hierarchy brings viewers into a world where teenage relationships are treated as extensions of parents’ business dealings, and a high school scandal can upend not just a school, but an entire company. —Kayti Burt, TIME, 7 June 2024

Tracy Morgan is looking back on the accident that completely upended his life 10 years ago. —Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

upend

verb

up·​end ˌə-ˈpend 

: to set, stand, or rise on end