1
as in defeated
to achieve a victory over
the team won the division play-offs, but was upended in the final championship game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in erected
to fix in an upright position
we had to upend the sofa in order to fit it into the elevator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of upended
Bloomberg, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
At the same time, investors are growing increasingly worried about the businesses that will potentially be swept aside — or at least significantly upended — by the new applications that are being steadily rolled out.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Then in a flash, life happens, and worlds are upended.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
But it was upended after her wife died, of cardiac issues related to past drug use.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Under the terms of the Dix-Hill agreement, some 30,000 prisoners were returned from captivity by the fall, but the formal exchange arrangement was soon upended.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Washington joined Mecklenburg County as a deputy health director in March 2020, the same month the COVID-19 pandemic upended health in the Charlotte area and across the world.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2026
Fletcher, noting the upended aid landscape, already slashed the request this year.
—Jamey Keaten, Arkansas Online, 30 Dec. 2025
But when Delilah unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep – literally – Kate and Mac's life and holiday season get upended.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Dec. 2025
Steve Buckley, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Sure enough, a big rock upended from beneath my toe and sent me lurching headlong to the water.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
But in one election, our state can be upended by the failed socialist policies that have wrecked other states.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Shot in the Nir Oz kibbutz and the surrounding Negev desert, with Gaza lying just over the border, the movie chronicles the horrific aftermath of Oct 7th from the perspective of a filmmaker whose world was upended following Hamas’ attack.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
But his life was upended that day, his sisters and attorney told The Star.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2026
This comfortable dynamic is upended, rather shockingly, when Callie suddenly dies.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Before February 2022, some observers thought Russia was one of the world’s premier military powers—an assessment that Ukraine quickly upended.
—Alan Cullison, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
The Ukraine War upended the process.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
At the same time, investors are growing increasingly worried about the businesses that will potentially be swept aside — or at least significantly upended — by the new applications that are being steadily rolled out.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
At the same time, investors are growing increasingly worried about the businesses that will potentially be swept aside — or at least significantly upended — by the new applications that are being steadily rolled out.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Then in a flash, life happens, and worlds are upended.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
But it was upended after her wife died, of cardiac issues related to past drug use.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Under the terms of the Dix-Hill agreement, some 30,000 prisoners were returned from captivity by the fall, but the formal exchange arrangement was soon upended.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Washington joined Mecklenburg County as a deputy health director in March 2020, the same month the COVID-19 pandemic upended health in the Charlotte area and across the world.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2026
Fletcher, noting the upended aid landscape, already slashed the request this year.
—Jamey Keaten, Arkansas Online, 30 Dec. 2025
But when Delilah unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep – literally – Kate and Mac's life and holiday season get upended.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Dec. 2025
Verb
In the women’s team pursuit, Brittany Bowe, Mia Manganello and Greta Myers finished a disappointing fourth, this after losing to eventual gold medalist Canada in the semifinal and then getting upended by Japan in the fight for the bronze.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Sure enough, a big rock upended from beneath my toe and sent me lurching headlong to the water.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
But in one election, our state can be upended by the failed socialist policies that have wrecked other states.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Shot in the Nir Oz kibbutz and the surrounding Negev desert, with Gaza lying just over the border, the movie chronicles the horrific aftermath of Oct 7th from the perspective of a filmmaker whose world was upended following Hamas’ attack.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
But his life was upended that day, his sisters and attorney told The Star.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2026
This comfortable dynamic is upended, rather shockingly, when Callie suddenly dies.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Before February 2022, some observers thought Russia was one of the world’s premier military powers—an assessment that Ukraine quickly upended.
—Alan Cullison, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
The Ukraine War upended the process.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upended
Verb
-
Tyler, competing in the 138-pound bracket, defeated Melissa’s Jaxon Johnson in the title match via 6-1 decision.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Eduards Tralmaks and Renars Krastenbergs scored just more than three minutes apart, and Latvia defeated Germany 4-3.—
Stephen Whyno,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In sequences interspersed in the film, Bean and Rozos converse in a kind of fort-like structure erected in a room.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
-
This lavish office building was a marvel of architectural innovation when erected in 1928.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Takaichi’s popularity with voters helped more than 90% of LDP candidates win their seats, including 41 out of 43 of her colleagues who overcame the stain of financial scandals to secure voter support.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
15 Feb. 2026
-
France’s Mathis Desloges, who has taken two silvers so far, pulled his team into medal position during the third leg of the race, while Italy’s Federico Pellegrino overcame Finland in the anchor leg to take bronze on home soil in his last Olympics.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Additionally, hyperscalers, including Amazon , Microsoft , Meta , and Alphabet , announced capital expenditure of up to $700 billion on AI this year, which has raised concerns over returns and whether the extent of AI spend is justified.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Videos from the killing of Renee Good, a mother of three, in her vehicle, raised questions about the federal agent’s tactics and decision to use deadly force.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
They were inspired by video generation, a task already mastered by computer scientists.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Feb. 2026
-
On top of that, Jackson seems to have mastered the art of dribble-penetration.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Once the blocks and spires of Palma faded into the distance, the 25-minute drive from the airport took me past crumbling homes, fields of curious farm animals, and not a soul in sight for miles at a time.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Giggs took the games seriously and was usually on the winning side.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
More than 40 paramedics and 18 emergency vehicles were dispatched to the scene.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The Mexican government has dispatched humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba aboard two ships of the Mexican Navy.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her victory continues the comeback theme – a narrative of paths conquered, attempted, thwarted and ongoing – that has come to define the alpine women skiers of these 2026 Games.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Volcker went down in history as the man who conquered inflation, laying the foundation for decades of American prosperity.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upended. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
