upends; upended; upending
1
: to cause (something) to be upside down : to turn (something) over
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.
2
: to cause (someone) to fall down or be turned over
A giant wave upended the surfers.
The midfielder was upended before he got the ball.
—sometimes used figuratively especially in U.S. EnglishThe new regulations could upend the entire industry.
The team was upended [=defeated] in the second round of the play-offs.
Cite this Entry
“Upend.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/upend. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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