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

Synonyms of upheaval

• 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

Producers Arya Ibrahim and Gita Fara describe the project as a story of the political upheaval of 1965, which tore families apart and left people who lost their citizenship living as exiles. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Political upheaval The prosecutions have unfolded against the backdrop of dramatic changes in relations between Washington and Caracas. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

As Japan entered a period of political upheaval in the mid-nineteenth century, criminal gangs became useful in a new way. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

His run at Saint Laurent was unusual amidst a period of upheaval across the industry. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for upheaval

• coeval
• medieval
• primaeval
• primeval
• retrieval
• evil
• weevil
• mediaeval

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