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
Diane Goldstein,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Old assumptions about authority, trust and social status were shaken if not upended.
—
Donie O'Sullivan,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Thomas, who was a runner, had his life completely upended, going in and out of various hospitals for the rest of his life.
—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
The group is suddenly upended when one couple -- Anne and Nick (Kenney-Silver and Steve Carrell, respectively) -- abruptly divorces and Nick introduces the group to a younger girlfriend, Ginny (Henningsen).
—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Set in sunny Palm Springs, the story follows a wealthy, politically conservative family whose Christmas is upended when their daughter returns home to reveal she’s written an explosive tell-all memoir.
—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
26 May 2026
But their fresh start is quickly upended when a wildfire tears through the property.
—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
While schools have focused on catching kids up since the COVID-19 pandemic upended education, reading test scores have been falling since 2013 for eighth graders and 2015 for fourth graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
—
CBS News,
13 May 2026
The raid upended tenants’ lives.
—
Melissa Sanchez,
ProPublica,
13 May 2026
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
29 June 2026
The injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament, not only derailed a possible title run that season, but also upended the Trojans’ trajectory for the next one.
—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
The takeaway for boards and CISOs isn’t that one Chinese release upended the field overnight.
—
Craig S. Smith,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Owners, particularly those in older buildings, are facing rising association fees, insurance hikes and special assessments that have upended the math of condo ownership.
—
Jessica Lipscomb,
Miami Herald,
29 June 2026
That campaign has upended daily life for people on the peninsula, resulting in frequent drone strikes, a ban on gas sales to ordinary residents, and the suspension of summer camps for children.
—
Zahra Ullah,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
This arrangement worked well until the vine-killing louse made its way from Bordeaux to Rioja and destroyed the vineyards there, which upended the region’s industry for decades.
—
Mike Desimone,
Robb Report,
26 June 2026
In Paris, the heat upended peak tourist season, forcing the Louvre to close two hours early, the Eiffel Tower to shut ahead of schedule, and other major attractions to shorten hours or close sections, Euronews reported.
—
Kelly McGreal , Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
26 June 2026
The opening matches have already upended expectations.
—
Jeremy Ebobisse,
Time,
26 June 2026
Adjective
In the years following 2020, cities nationwide experienced alarming increases in homicides, shootings and other crime as the COVID-19 pandemic upended daily life, destabilized local economies and deepened distrust in public institutions.
—
Diane Goldstein,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Old assumptions about authority, trust and social status were shaken if not upended.
—
Donie O'Sullivan,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Thomas, who was a runner, had his life completely upended, going in and out of various hospitals for the rest of his life.
—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
The group is suddenly upended when one couple -- Anne and Nick (Kenney-Silver and Steve Carrell, respectively) -- abruptly divorces and Nick introduces the group to a younger girlfriend, Ginny (Henningsen).
—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Set in sunny Palm Springs, the story follows a wealthy, politically conservative family whose Christmas is upended when their daughter returns home to reveal she’s written an explosive tell-all memoir.
—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
26 May 2026
But their fresh start is quickly upended when a wildfire tears through the property.
—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
While schools have focused on catching kids up since the COVID-19 pandemic upended education, reading test scores have been falling since 2013 for eighth graders and 2015 for fourth graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
—
CBS News,
13 May 2026
The raid upended tenants’ lives.
—
Melissa Sanchez,
ProPublica,
13 May 2026
Verb
But the more scientists have looked across the animal kingdom, the more the biological realities of other animals have upended this narrative.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
29 June 2026
The injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament, not only derailed a possible title run that season, but also upended the Trojans’ trajectory for the next one.
—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
The takeaway for boards and CISOs isn’t that one Chinese release upended the field overnight.
—
Craig S. Smith,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Owners, particularly those in older buildings, are facing rising association fees, insurance hikes and special assessments that have upended the math of condo ownership.
—
Jessica Lipscomb,
Miami Herald,
29 June 2026
That campaign has upended daily life for people on the peninsula, resulting in frequent drone strikes, a ban on gas sales to ordinary residents, and the suspension of summer camps for children.
—
Zahra Ullah,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
This arrangement worked well until the vine-killing louse made its way from Bordeaux to Rioja and destroyed the vineyards there, which upended the region’s industry for decades.
—
Mike Desimone,
Robb Report,
26 June 2026
In Paris, the heat upended peak tourist season, forcing the Louvre to close two hours early, the Eiffel Tower to shut ahead of schedule, and other major attractions to shorten hours or close sections, Euronews reported.
—
Kelly McGreal , Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
26 June 2026
The opening matches have already upended expectations.
—
Jeremy Ebobisse,
Time,
26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upended
Verb
-
Earlier in the episode, when Daemon and the Rivermen defeated the Lannisters, Ser Simon rewarded them with wine from the cellars.
-
Against the odds, our founders defeated a monarchy and created what would become the richest, freest, and most powerful country the world has ever seen.
Verb
-
Raead, a contractor from Tarqumiyah, erected high-rise buildings in Israel for twelve years.
-
Police erected roadblocks on all major highways around Nairobi, blocking motorists from accessing the city.
Verb
-
The Knicks overcame several double-digit point deficits to win the 2026 NBA championship, their first in 53 years.
-
Heide Hafner, Miss Subways 1976, overcame obstacles like sexism to earn her pilot's license.
Verb
-
The bike lane is raised a little from the street, and then the sidewalk is raised a little from the bike lane.
-
But last year, Australia’s National Rodeo Association raised the age limit to 18, boosting Bella’s ambition to one day ride in adult comps.
Verb
-
The full set was mastered at Abbey Road Studios and comes with a 16-page book of notes from Simon Armitage and photography by Anton Corbijn and Kevin Cummins.
-
When two people try something neither has mastered, both are exposed and that exposure becomes a chance to support each other rather than perform for each other.
Verb
-
Miami Fire Rescue paramedics took the man, thought to be in his early 30s, to Jackson Memorial Hospital, Fallat said.
-
In early June, Johnson met with workers who support the ILA and took a photo with them.
Verb
-
Fast forward to 1953 and the Delage was apparently involved in a fender-bender and dispatched to famed coachbuilder Saoutchik for repairs.
-
Roughly 20 nations have dispatched their premier tall ships to participate in the celebration, with vessels arriving from as far away as Italy, India, Peru, Poland, Spain and Sweden.
Verb
-
The story here is how the Minions conquered Hollywood and became movie stars, which has charmed critics especially, with so many homages to classic Hollywood film.
-
But Alexca, a bubbly toddler who giggles and runs about, has conquered her grandmother’s heart.
Cite this Entry
“Upended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upended. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
