as in unrest
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
the government can no longer control the social upheaval brought about by the collapse of the country's economy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upheaval
Read more in Diane’s story about leading a major business through political upheaval.
—
Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
The Foo Fighters frontman and former Nirvana drummer has undergone a period of extensive personal upheaval in recent years.
—Monica Coviello, Vanity Fair, 26 Mar. 2026
Over the course of the twentieth century, with its endless economic and political upheavals, the numbers of both people and reindeer in the camp have dwindled.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
More upheaval struck the franchise a few months after the seasons starring Tran and Ellis with the announcement that executive producers Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner would be exiting.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
The Foo Fighters frontman and former Nirvana drummer has undergone a period of extensive personal upheaval in recent years.
—Monica Coviello, Vanity Fair, 26 Mar. 2026
Over the course of the twentieth century, with its endless economic and political upheavals, the numbers of both people and reindeer in the camp have dwindled.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
More upheaval struck the franchise a few months after the seasons starring Tran and Ellis with the announcement that executive producers Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner would be exiting.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval
Noun
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When a white suburban jury acquitted the LAPD officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King, protesters spilled into the Slot and set the nearby landmark palm trees on fire — a precursor for the unrest to come.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
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So when, in December 2025, thousands of ICE agents descended upon the Twin Cities, initiating two months of unrest and violence, restaurants were not at the forefront of the headlines, but acutely absorbing its impact.—
David Farley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Fidel Castro led Cuba for nearly five decades after the communist revolution in 1959, nationalizing industry on the island and bringing Havana close to the then-Soviet Union before handing power to his brother, Raúl Castro.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The move away from the revolution’s traditional red toward softer colors signals not a rupture, but a recalibration.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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An extremely large instance of calving can even shake the ground, causing a glacial earthquake, also known as a cryoseism or icequake.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Chinese companies aren’t retreating from the Arabian Gulf despite turmoil in the region, according to one of the world’s top management consultants.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
26 Mar. 2026
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Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest actress Hüller, currently on screens opposite Ryan Gosling in box office hit Project Hail Mary, plays a mysterious soldier who appears in a secluded Protestant village amidst the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Any deal almost certainly needs to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Any deal will almost certainly need to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.—
Lisa Mascaro,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There were rebellions, insurrections and an Appian Way lined with crucifixions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, a separate insurrection led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a Marxist political party, tore through the southern part of the country in the late 1980s, killing tens of thousands of people.—
Eranda Jayawickreme,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Müntzer’s teachings helped provoke the widespread uprising of the German peasants in 1525, and have served as a kind of progenitor inspiration for later communist thinkers, from Friedrich Engels to Ernst Bloch.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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Herzen’s arrest was part of a sweeping crackdown on intellectual circles following the Decembrist uprising, as the tsarist regime sought to quell dissent.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even minor changes in clouds, wind or storms can force delays, especially for a mission of this scale.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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