upheaval

noun up·heav·al \ ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl , (ˌ)ə-ˈpē- \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Examples: upheaval in a Sentence

Definition of upheaval

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

See upheaval defined for English-language learners

See upheaval defined for kids

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 of upheaval from the Web

The ban has caused upheaval in the global trade in e-waste, diverting huge amounts to smaller nations ill equipped to handle the overflow.

— New York Times, "E-Waste Offers an Economic Opportunity as Well as Toxicity," 5 July 2018
There has been an upheaval in the entertainment business over the past year related to the #MeToo movement.

— matthew belloni, The Hollywood Reporter, "AT&T’s John Stankey Talks WarnerMedia Plans, Netflix Spending, DC Movies and CNN Politics," 18 June 2018
Pruitt's use of his subordinates to perform nonofficial duties has already caused upheaval within the agency.

— chicagotribune.com, "EPA's Scott Pruitt enlisted security detail in picking up dry cleaning, moisturizing lotion," 7 June 2018
The panel discussion was held to celebrate the N.S.C.’s seventieth anniversary, but the subtext of the evening, which the panelists were too scrupulously diplomatic to acknowledge, was the profound upheaval of the present moment.

— kathryn schulz, The New Yorker, "McMaster and Commander," 23 Apr. 2018
The Kingwood area faces a major traffic upheaval this spring, and Texas Department of Transportation officials are still working on plans to make a painful experience as bearable as possible for drivers.

— dana burke, Houston Chronicle, "Major U.S. 59 bridge shutdown coming to Kingwood area this spring," 7 Feb. 2018
New revelations of misspending come as the emergency prep agency has faced scrutiny from Oregon's own auditors and upheaval in its upper ranks.

— allan brettman, OregonLive.com, "Scappoose bank robber jumps counter, gets cash, witnesses tell police," 30 Jan. 2018
Such a development would cause a soul-shattering upheaval in my mental life.

— douglas hofstadter, The Atlantic, "The Shallowness of Google Translate," 30 Jan. 2018
While lung function predictably reduced from the screaming and general upheaval, so did the feeling of shortness of breath.

— richard stephens, Smithsonian, "The History and Psychology of Roller Coasters," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'upheaval.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of upheaval

1838

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

upheaval Synonyms

Synonyms

cataclysm, convulsion, earthquake, paroxysm, storm, tempest, tumult, uproar;

fit, seizure, spasm;

eruption, flare-up, outbreak, outburst;

bluster, bobbery, bustle, coil, commotion, furor, furore, fuss, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly-burly, pandemonium, rout, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, squall, stew, stir, to-do, turmoil, welter, williwaw;

quaking, rocking, shaking, trembling;

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

UPHEAVAL Defined for English Language Learners

upheaval

noun

Definition of upheaval for English Language Learners

: a major change or period of change that causes a lot of conflict, confusion, anger, etc.
: an occurrence in which a part of the Earth's surface moves up forcefully