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

also : an instance of this

Synonyms

• 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

Advertisement Aster keenly satirizes Joe’s idiocy in the face of social upheaval through the iconography of Westerns. —Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025

Despite all the upheaval, Sushi has a clean bill of health and no significant behavioral issues. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

Time and again, regulation has followed upheaval, creating national standards to safeguard workers, consumers, investors, and the environment. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025

For the heir to the throne and his wife, Kate Middleton, though, change doesn’t mean upheaval but rather modernization — a monarchy more emotionally attuned and grounded in everyday life. —Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for upheaval

• coeval
• medieval
• primeval
• retrieval
• evil
• weevil

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