as in unrest
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
the government can no longer control the social upheaval brought about by the collapse of the country's economy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upheaval
Departure adds to the upheaval at Michigan Michigan’s national championship was a bright spot during an otherwise difficult year.
—
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
But Fukuyama also argues that economic and cultural upheaval are what gave us our current politics, with identity serving as a language of backlash.
—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
Around the time of Sullivan’s visit, the last of the troops pulled back, and upheaval swiftly followed.
—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Through centuries of upheaval the monastery endured as a living testament to Ukraine’s faith, culture, and history.
—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
But Fukuyama also argues that economic and cultural upheaval are what gave us our current politics, with identity serving as a language of backlash.
—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
Around the time of Sullivan’s visit, the last of the troops pulled back, and upheaval swiftly followed.
—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Through centuries of upheaval the monastery endured as a living testament to Ukraine’s faith, culture, and history.
—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval
Noun
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Haiti also did it without playing a single qualifying match in Haiti because of unrest.
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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party retained its large parliamentary majority in recent elections overshadowed by unrest in Africa’s second-most-populous country.
Noun
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Shares have jumped 80% in the year to date as an ongoing memory supply crunch accelerates the adoption of lithography equipment for the production of semiconductors required to power the AI revolution.
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Haitian soldiers seasoned on American battlefields during the revolution later sparked Haiti’s overthrow of French colonial rule, depriving France of its most profitable slave colony and ending one of the most brutal enslavement of human beings in modern world history.
Noun
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Those who felt the earthquake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.
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One woman, who spoke anonymously and survived the 2010 Haiti earthquake, expressed fear about the potential end of her status.
Noun
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The federal program, established by Congress in 1990, shields immigrants from countries in turmoil from deportation.
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This catastrophe severely exacerbates Venezuela's existing economic crisis and political turmoil, leaving children facing extreme deprivation, malnutrition, and disease.
Noun
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Soon, this kind of spirit will carry the 13 colonies to protest, revolt and win the American Revolution.
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The rebellion was the first major popular revolt in England’s North American colonies and reflected tensions over frontier settlement, relations with Native Americans, political authority, and access to land.
Noun
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Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led the insurrection after weeks of widespread national protests.
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Penn, known for his strong political convictions, previously attended a public hearing of the House select committee investigating the deadly 2021 insurrection.
Noun
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There’s a sketch centered on one of David’s characters not being invited to the Boston Tea Party, as if the rebellious uprising was just another dinner party.
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More recent scholarship has emphasized the complexity of the uprising.
Noun
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The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
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The camp did not timely evacuate in advance of the July 3-4, 2025, storm, despite ample opportunity to do so.
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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