1
as in defeating
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 erecting
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 upending
Russia suspended jet fuel exports, further upending trade in a product already hugely affected by the Iran war.
—
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
Both movies were directed by YouTube stars and cost nearly nothing to produce, upending conventional wisdom about the necessary components for a hit.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 31 May 2026
This show works to understand how those two minds—both devoted to upending the art market by making work that’s not easily categorizable—entertain certain themes simultaneously.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
An early morning Penn Station fire injured multiple people and snarled morning service between Newark and New York, upending commuter travel.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Scenes in the rounded Tomorrowland theater will be updated, upending folky stories set in the early 1900s, the 1920s and the 1940s.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026
Meanwhile, Airbnb, another early breakout hit from Y Combinator, has a market cap of close to $80 billion, and CEO Brian Chesky is credited with upending the hospitality industry.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 26 May 2026
An experimental pill has shown unprecedented success in treating pancreatic cancer, upending conventional wisdom about the disease.
—Carolyn Y. Johnson, Washington Post, 24 May 2026
The mathematics of flat space is astonishingly versatile, and new research is upending the traditional thinking about the layout of our cosmos.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 23 May 2026
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
Both movies were directed by YouTube stars and cost nearly nothing to produce, upending conventional wisdom about the necessary components for a hit.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 31 May 2026
This show works to understand how those two minds—both devoted to upending the art market by making work that’s not easily categorizable—entertain certain themes simultaneously.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
An early morning Penn Station fire injured multiple people and snarled morning service between Newark and New York, upending commuter travel.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Scenes in the rounded Tomorrowland theater will be updated, upending folky stories set in the early 1900s, the 1920s and the 1940s.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026
Meanwhile, Airbnb, another early breakout hit from Y Combinator, has a market cap of close to $80 billion, and CEO Brian Chesky is credited with upending the hospitality industry.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 26 May 2026
An experimental pill has shown unprecedented success in treating pancreatic cancer, upending conventional wisdom about the disease.
—Carolyn Y. Johnson, Washington Post, 24 May 2026
The mathematics of flat space is astonishingly versatile, and new research is upending the traditional thinking about the layout of our cosmos.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upending
Verb
-
The Spurs clinched their spot in the championship round after outlasting Oklahoma City, defeating the defending champs on the Thunder’s home floor in Game 7 on Saturday.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
-
Two weeks later, Barr walked away with the GOP nomination, defeating the other major Republican competitor, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, by a 2-to-1 margin.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2026
Verb
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That might leave Florida taxpayers still picking up the tab for the millions of dollars the state spent in quickly erecting the site in the middle of the Everglades.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Another had a mossy headpiece with wire erecting green and platinum hair balls.—
Essence,
Essence,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
One lawmaker Lackey’s unofficial bill title wasn’t lost upon was Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, D-Jefferson Park, a lawmaker who has spoken publicly about overcoming systemic barriers in his own life as a Black man and has centered his political career largely on criminal justice reform.—
Andrew Graham
May 28,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
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That’s because the Phillies (29-27) stand as a serious threat in the wild-card races, and overcoming the Dodgers in the West race just isn’t realistic.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
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With the rebuilding ongoing Hart said Saturday’s gala is not just about raising funds, but also awareness.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Walking is exercise proven to help ward off anxiety, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s, while improving self-esteem and raising dopamine levels.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Europa-Park has surged in popularity by mastering regional destination tourism, unique cultural programming and showcasing pioneering attractions.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Something that helped Minderman take the next step was mastering the change-up, according to junior catcher Alex Abraham.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Several Republican primaries are taking place Tuesday in South Dakota, where Democrats have been shut out of statewide office since 2015.—
Washington Post staff,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
-
The Peninsula swimming pool is among the best in the city; there's no better way to beat the heat in this famously hot capital than by taking a dip right on the river.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe beating and banging all the way to the checkers.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
Competitor Ross saw comparable sales jump a staggering 17%, beating expectations of 9%, and also attributed some of its outsize growth to extra stimulus.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Additionally, ongoing conflict in northeastern DRC could make dispatching clinical care teams even harder.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
2 June 2026
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The Knicks also had no issues dispatching the 76ers squad that ousted the Celtics in seven games.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upending. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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