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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upended
Ana Swanson, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Running Point Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, a woman whose life is upended when a scandal forces her brother to resign from his position, and she is appointed president of the Los Angeles Waves, one of the most storied professional basketball franchises, and her family business.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
For years, executives in traditional industries dismissed AI as a distant concern, only to find their sectors upended by rapid advancements in technology.
—Bryce Hoffman, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Sudan Civil War Sudan marks yet another example of a nation in which a recent transition to democratic rule was upended by a military takeover and internal conflict.
—Tom O'Connor, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
But DeSantis and the Legislature upended that arrangement in early 2023 and put the governor in charge of appointing board members.
—Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2024
In a voice-over, Ghost explains that there was a widespread apocalyptic event that upended American life decades earlier.
—Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
When the pandemic upended her real estate career, Shoemaker picked herself back up and started her current job.
—Katie Shepherd, Baltimore Sun, 26 Dec. 2024
Streaming has upended that and the disappointment is real.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The economic outlook of the Los Angeles area, with a population larger than most states, has been clouded by events that have upended the entertainment industry.
—Ana Swanson, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Running Point Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, a woman whose life is upended when a scandal forces her brother to resign from his position, and she is appointed president of the Los Angeles Waves, one of the most storied professional basketball franchises, and her family business.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
For years, executives in traditional industries dismissed AI as a distant concern, only to find their sectors upended by rapid advancements in technology.
—Bryce Hoffman, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Sudan Civil War Sudan marks yet another example of a nation in which a recent transition to democratic rule was upended by a military takeover and internal conflict.
—Tom O'Connor, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
But DeSantis and the Legislature upended that arrangement in early 2023 and put the governor in charge of appointing board members.
—Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2024
In a voice-over, Ghost explains that there was a widespread apocalyptic event that upended American life decades earlier.
—Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
When the pandemic upended her real estate career, Shoemaker picked herself back up and started her current job.
—Katie Shepherd, Baltimore Sun, 26 Dec. 2024
Streaming has upended that and the disappointment is real.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upended
Verb
-
The city erected the park’s first military monument in 1950, a red granite homage to soldiers of the 36th Division that fought during World War I.—
Jaime Moore-Carrillo,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2025
-
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, scores of Southern cities and towns erected Confederate memorials, like Richmond’s towering Lee statue, that aimed to block from public view any story, memory, or perspective that did not accord with the Lost Cause orthodoxy.—
Made by History,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
His son, Kenneth, moved meat packing plants to where his cattle were raised and saw profits soar.—
Patrick Saunders,
The Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2025
-
The 2024 tiger sighting was attributed to conservation efforts and has raised hopes that the predator could return to Kui Buri National Park, officials said.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Service is friendly but discreet, something the Swiss have mastered like few others.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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That that's something that's really, really hard to replicate, and he's really mastered it.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
As part of the plan, the United States immediately lifted its pause on sharing intelligence with Ukraine, and will resume security assistance to that country, which was invaded by Russia more than three years ago.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
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Raymond James analyst David Long also said Wells Fargo’s operating losses would likely narrow even further if the cap were to be lifted.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Officers were dispatched to the 3000 block of Briery Street on Tuesday, March 11, after a 911 caller reported a small child had been locked in a car for over an hour, according to police.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Mar. 2025
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At the end of October, the OCA then dispatched Burch and Robichau, the OCA priests and officials, from their South Carolina churches to attempt once again to take control the church property — the encounter that brought out nine police officers.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Scarlett Johansson has conquered the superhero franchise, been nominated for several prestigious awards and years ago made her way into Saturday Night Live’s prestigious Five-Timers Club.—
Kevin Dolak,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Jan. 2025
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By contrast, Xinjiang was conquered in the mid-18th century by the Qing dynasty (around the same time the British were marching on India) and then claimed by the current People’s Republic of China after its formation in 1949.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the semis, Parenteau turned back the clock and played a solid game to beat Buckner and return to the final for the first time in nearly a year.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Almost daily, the news has stories and videos of people being robbed or beaten in Baltimore, shot and killed, or simply being harassed.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upended. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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