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

• defeat
• overcome
• master
• take
• beat
• worst
• conquer
• get
• best
• stop

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

Progress upended In most school districts in the 2008-09 school year, boys had higher average math scores on standardized tests than girls, the AP found in analyzing scores across 15 years in more than 5,000 school districts. —Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025

He was later diagnosed with a shoulder strain that took him off the mound for months and upended his preparations for ‘25. —David Brown, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025

Despite their kids belonging to a more open and fluid generation, the parents’ chaotic meddling threatens to upend everything. —Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025

Ben Lewis Doherty, playing a boy named Sam whose life is upended by Robbie, is the show’s greatest innocent, a softhearted moppet who warns deer to be careful when crossing the street. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for upend

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend

Kids Definition

upend

verb

up·​end ˌə-ˈpend 

: to set, stand, or rise on end