upend

verb

up·​end ˌəp-ˈend 

upended; upending; upends

transitive verb

1

: to set or stand on end

also : overturn sense 1

upended the bucket to use as a stool

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 of upend

• 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

El-Sayed’s former primary opponent, Haley Stevens, upended the race by endorsing Rogers, renewing focus on tensions over Israel and the party’s direction. — Jill Colvin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026

Martin McDonagh’s latest comic provocation takes place on Easter Island and in 1970s Chile, where a ferociously funny John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell aim to upend the rule of law. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Karen Zacarías’ comedy about a book club that becomes the subject of a documentary, upending the sanctity and organization of the group, was first staged in 2008. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026

Iran wild card Trump could restart the war against Iran after holding off on any major strikes leading up to the midterms, a move that could upend the overall market and cause energy stocks to outperform. — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026

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