1
as in overcomes
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 erects
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 upends
New evidence published today in the journal Science upends decades of evolutionary theory about when animals first walked on land.
—
Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Ruling upends August elections At the center of the controversy is an ambiguous ruling from the Missouri Supreme Court last month that left local election officials scrambling.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
Her stunning debut memoir is about how trauma upends narrative structures, and the struggle to write about it anyway despite its unwieldiness.
—Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Based on the bestselling novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 June 2026
Yuen, cast as the untrained newcomer who upends the protagonist’s world, provides the catalyst that drives the film toward its conclusion.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 May 2026
But when an unexpected pregnancy upends their fragile dynamic, Caroline is pushed out of the circle triggering a fallout that unearths secrets and sends shockwaves through the entire town.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 22 May 2026
Named by her new owner, Silvia after a Mexican pop star whose 1980s hits ricochet from a rickety TV, Yuri upends Silvia’s solitary existence on a windswept island off the southern coast of Chile, setting the protagonist on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to confront childhood traumas.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
The new analysis upends previous assumptions.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Ruling upends August elections At the center of the controversy is an ambiguous ruling from the Missouri Supreme Court last month that left local election officials scrambling.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
Her stunning debut memoir is about how trauma upends narrative structures, and the struggle to write about it anyway despite its unwieldiness.
—Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Based on the bestselling novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 June 2026
Yuen, cast as the untrained newcomer who upends the protagonist’s world, provides the catalyst that drives the film toward its conclusion.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 May 2026
But when an unexpected pregnancy upends their fragile dynamic, Caroline is pushed out of the circle triggering a fallout that unearths secrets and sends shockwaves through the entire town.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 22 May 2026
Named by her new owner, Silvia after a Mexican pop star whose 1980s hits ricochet from a rickety TV, Yuri upends Silvia’s solitary existence on a windswept island off the southern coast of Chile, setting the protagonist on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to confront childhood traumas.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
The new analysis upends previous assumptions.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upends
Verb
-
These families show that love overcomes differences.—
Geoffrey Greif,
Baltimore Sun,
11 June 2026
-
As the realization that nothing—or no one—will be enough overcomes the final bridge, a flurry of drums gallop in and the track explodes into fireworks as Rodrigo screams her guts out.—
Quinn Moreland,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The university erects a study tent inside K-Ville with desks and power strips to charge laptops and phones.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
This approach still erects a financial barrier for the hundreds of thousands of San Diego County residents who have supported Balboa Park institutions for generations.—
Judy Gradwohl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What will most likely play out at Night of Champions is that Rhodes somehow retains his WWE Championship while Uso defeats Femi to win the KOTR, likely due to interference from Brock Lesnar.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
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But the governor’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year would limit companies’ ability to claim tax credits, which the entertainment groups argue defeats the purpose of the expansion.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Verb
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And the influence that both romantic and platonic relationships have over a person’s lifespan raises concerns about the current declines in social health.—
Jessica DuLong,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
-
The controversy raises broader concerns about facilities like Albany Care that provide homes and treatment for adults with serious mental illness.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Finally, Kim masters the steps and takes to the stage with confidence, as her family cheers her on!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
Levy masters one hilarious perplexed comedic reaction after another as Nicky, a closeted pastor with a zany, highly dysfunctional family.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meta's program takes a different approach.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
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Police said the group then takes preperty, inclduing cash registers, alchohol bottles and tobacco products.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Verb
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The race is won by the team that beats their handicap speed by the greatest margin.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
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The infant’s heart beats into the night, like the thumping of a little giant, breaking rocks deep in the Mines of Moria.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Just one week after one powerhouse tied the other, that match has been broken as Swift once again conquers the tally.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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That doesn’t mean robbing Billy of his shot at prying open Homelander’s skull, but with only a symbolic solution to Trump’s authoritarian rise — love conquers all!—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upends. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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