upheaval
noun
up·heav·al
ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl 
(ˌ)ə-ˈpē-
1
: the action or an instance of upheaving especially of part of the earth's crust
2
: extreme agitation or disorder : radical change
a period of social upheaval
also
: an instance of this
one of human history's greatest upheavals
Examples of upheaval in a Sentence
The civil rights movement marked a period of social upheaval in the U.S.
the emotional upheaval of divorce
a period of cultural and social upheavals
The island was created by an upheaval of the ocean floor.
The lake was formed by geologic upheaval.
Recent Examples on the Web
No real ‘regime change’ Despite Maduro’s abrupt removal from power, there doesn’t seem to have been much upheaval within the government.
—
Flora Charner, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
This year brought the greatest one-year upheaval in the modern era.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
That industry, and its relationship to the city and state that cradled it for so long, is in a state of upheaval (or cataclysm, depending on who’s talking), which makes a pilgrimage to the Hollywood Heritage Museum even more powerful.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Advertisement The Pahlavi deficit Now consider what Reza Pahlavi brings to Iran’s moment of upheaval.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
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Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upheaval. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
upheaval
noun
up·heav·al
ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl
(ˌ)ə-ˈpē-
1
: the action or an instance of heaving or lifting up from beneath especially of part of the earth's crust
2
: an instance of violent disorder or change
emotional upheaval
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