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
Artificial intelligence has unleashed the most upheaval within the industry since Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007.
—
Michael Liedtke, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Jiang’s own network is in the midst of upheaval, following Skydance’s purchase of Paramount last year.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
Catholic Charities isn’t the only social service provider trying to maintain services for the most vulnerable in the face of county, state and federal funding upheaval.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
January’s uncertainties do not include any business upheaval after the Iranian conflict began in late March.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Michael Liedtke, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Jiang’s own network is in the midst of upheaval, following Skydance’s purchase of Paramount last year.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
Catholic Charities isn’t the only social service provider trying to maintain services for the most vulnerable in the face of county, state and federal funding upheaval.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
January’s uncertainties do not include any business upheaval after the Iranian conflict began in late March.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval
Noun
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Amid the unrest, the mine shut down.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
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The announcement comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the government’s handling of political detainees, even after the passage of an amnesty law earlier this year intended to address cases tied to political unrest spanning more than two decades.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Promised the workforce Every technology revolution in history — steam, electricity, computers, the internet — has promised the workforce more free time.—
Phil Blair,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Topics of concern included the AI revolution that is transforming how students learn and forcing educators to rethink pedagogy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The impact of the explosion was so severe that homes nearby were damaged, while local residents thought the explosion was an earthquake, per the BBC.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
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Japan has restarted 15 reactors after reviewing the lessons of the earthquake and tsunami that damaged the Fukushima plant, and 10 more are in the process of getting approval to restart.—
Vladimir Isachenkov,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the persona turmoil behind this transformational figure has in many ways remained hidden from view.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2026
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But the stock market is brushing off the turmoil.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This tweet sparked a fierce revolt from tech executives and investors, many of whom were previously among Khanna’s biggest donors and allies.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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In England chaos reaches its zenith when a Kentishman named Jack Cade, encouraged by York (who has been sent to put down a revolt in Ireland), mounts an insurrection that plays havoc in the streets of London.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In England chaos reaches its zenith when a Kentishman named Jack Cade, encouraged by York (who has been sent to put down a revolt in Ireland), mounts an insurrection that plays havoc in the streets of London.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
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Four years later, her law firm helped defend against challenges to Trump’s eligibility for the ballot because of his role in encouraging the insurrection of January 6, 2021.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The military was brought in to stop the uprising and the conflict evolved into a separatist insurgency.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
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One example might be the inconvenience caused by a mass political uprising, one that risks the security, safety, and comfort of its participants.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The two teams were scheduled to play in a rematch Tuesday in Oak Lawn but the game was postponed by a late afternoon storm that rendered the baseball field unplayable.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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Gattelli, who also choreographed the TV series, does much of his best work here through dance, a hypervigorous storm of limbs that manages to be funny while conveying story and character.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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