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
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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
Candace Buckner,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Trump’s announcement took some off guard and upended the housing victory laps lawmakers had planned.
—
Cq Roll Call,
Boston Herald,
24 June 2026
The town’s predicament highlights the limits of any ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and the lingering hardship faced by residents whose lives have been upended by years of conflict.
—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
In particular, data center growth has upended the old approach that grids would and could expand to accommodate new demand as a matter of public interest.
—
Ed Hirs,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Tsai plays Hao, a detective whose career is upended after a controversial use-of-force incident thrusts him into the public spotlight.
—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
23 June 2026
That upended BofA’s assumption that a tighter labor market would be a prerequisite for hikes.
—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
Lives were upended, families were thrown into fear, and an entire community was reminded how quickly violence can change everything.
—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Trump has persistently called for the Fed to cut rates, but the Iran war has upended energy markets, with gasoline prices surging and electricity costs in the US expected to reach a record this summer, pushing inflation to a three-year high.
—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
17 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
Though Peterson never dealt with anything as serious as the herniated disc and microdiscectomy surgery that affected Porter, muscle cramping upended his season in Kansas and left scouts wondering about his long-term availability.
—
Candace Buckner,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Trump’s announcement took some off guard and upended the housing victory laps lawmakers had planned.
—
Cq Roll Call,
Boston Herald,
24 June 2026
The town’s predicament highlights the limits of any ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and the lingering hardship faced by residents whose lives have been upended by years of conflict.
—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
In particular, data center growth has upended the old approach that grids would and could expand to accommodate new demand as a matter of public interest.
—
Ed Hirs,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Tsai plays Hao, a detective whose career is upended after a controversial use-of-force incident thrusts him into the public spotlight.
—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
23 June 2026
That upended BofA’s assumption that a tighter labor market would be a prerequisite for hikes.
—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
Lives were upended, families were thrown into fear, and an entire community was reminded how quickly violence can change everything.
—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Trump has persistently called for the Fed to cut rates, but the Iran war has upended energy markets, with gasoline prices surging and electricity costs in the US expected to reach a record this summer, pushing inflation to a three-year high.
—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upended
Verb
-
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper each homered for the second straight game and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the New York Mets 6-2 on Sunday night.
-
Atlanta defeated Indiana 108-101 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday, with Reese posting 21 points and 11 rebounds and Clark scoring 26 points in the loss.
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
-
In a rematch of the WNBA’s first-ever game from June 21, 1997, the Sparks overcame a 17-point Liberty lead, all while celebrating the inaugural matchup — and iconic alumni — that changed women’s sports forever.
-
Leviatán were arguably considered underdogs in all these matches, but overcame the odds to make the final and set up a rematch against Paper Rex.
Verb
-
Led by Thiel Fellow James Proud, Substrate recently raised $100 million at a $1 billion valuation from investors including Founders Fund and General Catalyst.
-
Would Rhaenyra’s Syrax — a formidably sized dragon, albeit one raised in captivity — be able to torch them all?
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
-
Four minutes later, Brian Brobbey, who scored twice against Sweden, took a ball off the head of captain Virgil van Dijk and slammed it into the back of the net.
-
The goal scorer then took an artful first touch before drilling it home.
Verb
-
Police officers created a homicide scenario where they were dispatched to the area of 35th Avenue and Jefferson Street for reports of a fight with multiple subjects and shots fired.
-
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Rapid Deployment Force and the Broward Sheriff’s Office Quick Response team are both able to be dispatched if necessary.
Verb
-
Alexander the Great conquered it in 332 BCE after building a causeway to what had been considered an impregnable island fortress.
-
The collection plays into the brand’s Hollywood roots and the film’s plotline, which looks at the Minions conquered Hollywood in the 1920s and became silent film stars.
Cite this Entry
“Upended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upended. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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