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

Tennessee is 7-34 since the beginning of the 2024 season and has seen constant upheaval throughout the organization. — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Yormark’s hiring at the Big 12 marked a broader shift in how college conferences have approached leadership amid unprecedented financial and structural upheaval. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026

The general sense was that pulling Dragon and Falcon 9 off the market would cause temporary upheaval, but these problems would soon be ameliorated by Starship and its promise of lower cost and even greater capability. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 Oct. 2026

Zeno was born in the Dominican Republic in 1930, not long after the dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo seized power following a period of upheaval. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 29 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