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
Relevance
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
However, upending the long-standing distinction between service fees and tips doesn’t appear likely.
—
Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025
Much of Chinese diplomacy during the early 2000s was keyed to upending this pillar of the world order.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Women were encouraged to take action against men who had allegedly harmed them — often upending their lives in the process — only to find that the financial and emotional relief in coming forward might be ephemeral at best, nonexistent at worst.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Kon subverts slasher tropes and nimbly toys with reality, constantly upending audience expectations and keeping us on our toes.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
The legislation comes at a time when AI chatbots are upending parts of the internet.
—Allan Smith, NBC news, 28 Oct. 2025
And a chance encounter with ICE in August landed Barojas Solano in detention for six weeks, upending his legal process and leaving them terrified that he could be detained again.
—Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Within the next decade, the enchanting imagism of silent film would be supplanted by the talkie’s emphasis on dialogue and narrative realism, upending the format and studios that had made Keaton a star of the Old Hollywood system.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Immigration judges in Aurora and elsewhere have been instructed to expedite removal cases and to stop allowing bail for immigrants who’ve long lived in the country’s interior — keeping them detained and upending more than 25 years of practice.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025
Much of Chinese diplomacy during the early 2000s was keyed to upending this pillar of the world order.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Women were encouraged to take action against men who had allegedly harmed them — often upending their lives in the process — only to find that the financial and emotional relief in coming forward might be ephemeral at best, nonexistent at worst.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Kon subverts slasher tropes and nimbly toys with reality, constantly upending audience expectations and keeping us on our toes.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
The legislation comes at a time when AI chatbots are upending parts of the internet.
—Allan Smith, NBC news, 28 Oct. 2025
And a chance encounter with ICE in August landed Barojas Solano in detention for six weeks, upending his legal process and leaving them terrified that he could be detained again.
—Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Within the next decade, the enchanting imagism of silent film would be supplanted by the talkie’s emphasis on dialogue and narrative realism, upending the format and studios that had made Keaton a star of the Old Hollywood system.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Immigration judges in Aurora and elsewhere have been instructed to expedite removal cases and to stop allowing bail for immigrants who’ve long lived in the country’s interior — keeping them detained and upending more than 25 years of practice.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upending
Verb
-
The Lancers won their conference tournament by defeating Utah Tech and Utah Valley, with both matches going to penalty kicks.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Ole Miss wound up defeating Oklahoma 34-26 in Norman.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
China, for political reasons, is fast erecting barriers.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
And, in a break with the past, the VDMA is now expressing support for erecting countervailing tariffs when foreign products are found to be made with the support of government subsidies.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
DiMarco’s participation became a highlight of the event, with the student asking thoughtful questions about overcoming imposter syndrome and handling rejection.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
-
And that religion, like music, can carry the sound of struggle – but also the hope of one day overcoming the injustices and inequalities of everyday life.—
Ken Chitwood,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
It is measured in the millions of students striving for opportunity—most of them raising children, working jobs, serving in uniform, or making rent and mortgage payments with other bills competing for their attention.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
One person might earn more while the other contributes in different but equally meaningful ways, like managing the home, raising kids and planning for the future.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But Musk, a sci-fi fan, has long been focused on humanity colonizing Mars and mastering space travel.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The mastering guy gets more lines than the entire E Street Band.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When in doubt, close the page and verify the URL before taking any action.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Roan ended up taking home the trophy.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
With mixer on medium speed, gradually add heavy cream, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until combined after each addition, 1 to 2 minutes total.—
Amanda Holstein,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
-
On Saturday, that meant beating the Syracuse Orange 38-10 at Hard Rock Stadium.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After dispatching Matt last week, the Ulis took Jason out this week to give themselves the numbers heading towards another tribe swap next week.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
-
This aunt would look into the ball and see the face of some distant relative, and then announce that the family would be having an unexpected visitor, before dispatching someone to the butcher’s to buy the very best pork chops for the occasion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upending. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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