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
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
But the study upends prior results that indicated the test did more harm than good, leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 18 May 2026
The story 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, 15 May 2026
The European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BOE) are also due to hold pivotal meetings as the Iran war upends the outlook for inflation and economic growth.
—Sean Conlon,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
For anyone who has only ever experienced rain as something that gradually builds — a few drops, then more, then a steady fall — a wall of rain upends that expectation entirely.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
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
But the study upends prior results that indicated the test did more harm than good, leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 18 May 2026
The story 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, 15 May 2026
The European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BOE) are also due to hold pivotal meetings as the Iran war upends the outlook for inflation and economic growth.
—Sean Conlon,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
For anyone who has only ever experienced rain as something that gradually builds — a few drops, then more, then a steady fall — a wall of rain upends that expectation entirely.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upends
Verb
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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
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The system also overcomes the volatile risks of gas storage entirely by chemically locking hydrogen into a solid metal hydride during both charging and discharging.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 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
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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
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But when a brutish — and handsome — newcomer named Sir Tristam defeats Sir Palomides in a tournament, Princess Isode finds her plans thwarted.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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Brown family Joni says the policy change defeats the purpose of getting the pass.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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For some, the sudden enforcement raises questions about why the city is acting now and whether there are other ways to address violations without arrests, confiscations and criminal penalties.—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
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The decision followed two hours of debate and multiple failed motions — including a proposal to lower police raises — as leaders attempted to balance equity concerns with budget constraints.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
2 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
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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
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Qualls takes lead Qualls took the lead after Lindell dropped out, but Demuth, urging the use of paper ballots over the clickers, tried to appeal to Lindell voters.—
Jimmy Lovrien,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
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Cleaning windowsills is an easy, straightforward job that takes only a few minutes.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 May 2026
Verb
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If Pereira beats Gane and becomes a three-division champion — something no one has done in UFC history — does that crown him the greatest of all time?—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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In a fragmented world, clarity beats noise.—
Rolling Stone Culture Council,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Drake Nearly Sweeps the Top 10 Drake nearly conquers the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, but once again, he is stopped from filling spaces one through 10.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
28 May 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 4 Jun. 2026.
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