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
a period of social upheaval
also
: an instance of this
one of human history's greatest upheavals
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
During a panel about how to reframe midlife as a time for breakthrough instead of breakdown, Chopra said that choosing joy, hope and optimism in times of great systemic and personal upheaval is a powerful act.
—
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Dec. 2025
In the past several months, Heritage has been rocked by internal upheaval.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 22 Dec. 2025
Market upheaval Poor agricultural conditions in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire — the world's leading cocoa producers — have damaged crop yields in recent years, sending cocoa prices on a rollercoaster ride.
—Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025
In addition to the new surveillance contract, the council is also entertaining an upheaval of city policies that require homeless residents to be offered shelter before encampments are cleared.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Dec. 2025
In the past several months, Heritage has been rocked by internal upheaval.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 22 Dec. 2025
Market upheaval Poor agricultural conditions in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire — the world's leading cocoa producers — have damaged crop yields in recent years, sending cocoa prices on a rollercoaster ride.
—Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025
In addition to the new surveillance contract, the council is also entertaining an upheaval of city policies that require homeless residents to be offered shelter before encampments are cleared.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upheaval. Accessed 27 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share