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
The report followed months of upheaval within Nike over inappropriate workplace behavior that led to the resignation or dismissal of several executives, including then-Nike Brand president Trevor Edwards, a Black British-Jamaican.
—
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Choosing a board chair often points to the lack of options among top executives, or at least the risk tolerance a company needs to take a chance on a CEO at a time of economic and geopolitical upheaval.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 3 Feb. 2026
The protection, which is usually in effect for a year or more, was extended repeatedly as Haiti was hit with more natural disasters and political upheaval.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
But land does offer a hedge against inflation, diversification against economic upheavals, and provides a certainty that isn’t available with assets whose value can evaporate in a short time span, like Washington Mutual or Enron.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Choosing a board chair often points to the lack of options among top executives, or at least the risk tolerance a company needs to take a chance on a CEO at a time of economic and geopolitical upheaval.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 3 Feb. 2026
The protection, which is usually in effect for a year or more, was extended repeatedly as Haiti was hit with more natural disasters and political upheaval.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
But land does offer a hedge against inflation, diversification against economic upheavals, and provides a certainty that isn’t available with assets whose value can evaporate in a short time span, like Washington Mutual or Enron.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval
Noun
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The reigning monarch, president or dictator then unleashes the national army/armed forces upon the populace/rioters in an attempt to quell the unrest.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
This has been a season in which the franchise has had to deal with significant unrest, on and off the floor.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One of the bloodiest moments in that revolution, which deposed the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and led to the rise of the incumbent Islamist regime, occurred on September 8, 1978.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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But unlike then, some of those calling for a revolution today are also pleading for American or Israeli intervention to help achieve it.—
Davood Moradian,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Structure information summary Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Noem doubled down on her agency’s determination in November that Haiti no longer meets the statutory requirement for its TPS designation, which was granted by President Barack Obama after the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to the official readouts, Xi and Putin appeared to be projecting a strong united front, with Moscow calling bilateral relations an important stabilizing factor at a time of growing global turmoil.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
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Gold prices climbed after major central banks added to their reserves and investors rushed to buy the traditional safe-haven asset amid global political turmoil.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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It was used in the Grito de Lares, the first short revolt against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico in the 19th century.—
Maria Sherman,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
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In June 2011, the ICC issued arrest warrants for both Saif al-Islam Gadhafi and his father for crimes against humanity committed during the suppression of the revolt.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Americans have been skeptical of brown-skinned people since the days of the Alamo, always fearful Latinos are one step away from insurrection and thus must always be subjugated.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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He is now engaged in an ongoing insurrection by violating the Constitution, exceeding his lawful authorities, usurping Congress, and encouraging Republican states to manipulate voting districts and procedures.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The uprising led to a civil war, and the country has since become divided between rival armed groups and militias, the AP noted.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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The fact that Black people outnumbered white people in South Carolina during the decades before the Civil War meant that white officials lived in constant fear of a Haiti-style Black uprising.—
Eugene Robinson,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Parts of Asheville and surrounding communities still show visible scars from the storm.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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An animal cruelty investigation involving two dogs has ignited outrage on social media, after photos revealed the pets were tethered and abandoned during Charlotte’s weekend snow storm.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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