as in revolutions
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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Recent Examples of upheavals
The film follows Mark and Dawn through horrifically fraught times, as Mark battles an opioid addiction and Dawn struggles to support her mercurial man through personal and professional upheavals.
—
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
While Sehgal’s persistence was key in keeping the project alive through corporate upheavals – going as far as to stash a culture at home – neither Nogrady nor the METEI was ever credited in his landmark publications.
—Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
On the Eastern European side, Hungarian veteran István Szabó will speak about his work reflecting on Europe’s upheavals in the second half of the 20th century, and audiences will have a chance to explore a selection of films by Konrad Wolf, one East Germany’s most influential filmmakers.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement The past few years have brought dramatic upheavals, from Gaza to Sudan.
—Richard Branson, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
But in, say, the French Revolution, things got going in part because of the popular unrest and the popular upheavals, but also because there was an inner circle of members of the French nobility who were totally pissed at Louis XVI.
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
Modern conservatism developed its own history and internal logic, emerging not merely in opposition but alongside liberalism as a powerful response to the social and economic upheavals of the early 20th century.
—Allan J. Lichtman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The geopolitical upheavals of recent years have added urgency to his work.
—Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
In an alternate timeline without COVID-19 and the cultural upheavals of 2020, Bennet might be the executive editor of The New York Times.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
While Sehgal’s persistence was key in keeping the project alive through corporate upheavals – going as far as to stash a culture at home – neither Nogrady nor the METEI was ever credited in his landmark publications.
—Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
On the Eastern European side, Hungarian veteran István Szabó will speak about his work reflecting on Europe’s upheavals in the second half of the 20th century, and audiences will have a chance to explore a selection of films by Konrad Wolf, one East Germany’s most influential filmmakers.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement The past few years have brought dramatic upheavals, from Gaza to Sudan.
—Richard Branson, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
But in, say, the French Revolution, things got going in part because of the popular unrest and the popular upheavals, but also because there was an inner circle of members of the French nobility who were totally pissed at Louis XVI.
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
Modern conservatism developed its own history and internal logic, emerging not merely in opposition but alongside liberalism as a powerful response to the social and economic upheavals of the early 20th century.
—Allan J. Lichtman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The geopolitical upheavals of recent years have added urgency to his work.
—Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
In an alternate timeline without COVID-19 and the cultural upheavals of 2020, Bennet might be the executive editor of The New York Times.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheavals
Noun
-
But revolutions are marathons, not sprints.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
-
All revolutions are ultimately civil wars, right?—
Nikki McCann Ramirez,
Rolling Stone,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Like Squid Game, the final scene brings us to Los Angeles, where two bros discuss sports at a bar, as a story about the earthquakes plays on the news.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Peasant revolts have been a thing right alongside revolutionary history the entire time.—
Nikki McCann Ramirez,
Rolling Stone,
22 Sep. 2025
-
One can scarcely draw solace from the trajectories of those recent revolts.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The president can also legally invoke the military under the Insurrection Act, which allows troops to be deployed in order to curb insurrections.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The uprisings moved through the region as the Arab Spring ignited, and tens of millions of frustrated residents went online to coordinate.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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More multicasts of our sonic uprisings to compete with America's myopic narrowcasting.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The organization focuses on the big disasters that often grip the headlines, such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes – but also offers information about preparing for winter storms, tsunamis, tornados, lightning, hail and extreme heat.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
With a constellation of eyes in the sky, forecasters could suddenly monitor conditions over oceans and remote landmasses, filling in major gaps in their models and providing an early warning system about potential storms forming far away.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
About two couples, connected and dependent on one another, raising their kids alongside each other, facing the same turmoils, the same existential questions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Symptoms of the more serious illness include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, according to the CDC.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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Common listeriosis symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upheavals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheavals. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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