upend

verb

up·​end ˌəp-ˈend How to pronounce upend (audio)
upended; upending; upends

transitive verb

1
: to set or stand on end
2
a
: to affect to the point of being upset or flurried
a … literary shocker, designed to upend the credulous matronsWolcott Gibbs
b

intransitive verb

: to rise on an end

Examples of upend in a Sentence

He upended the bicycle to fix its flat tire. I upended the bucket to use as a stool. The security inspector upended my bag and dumped everything out. A giant wave upended the surfers. The midfielder was upended before he got the ball.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
By Hana Kiros Since September 29, when the smell of chlorine first began to waft over metro Atlanta, Georgia residents’ lives have been upended by an enormous chemical fire. Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024 But officials worry that could be upended by the presidential election on Tuesday. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 1 Nov. 2024 This annual tradition is not just about culling these toxic, non-native amphibians, but also about reclaiming a natural balance that was once upended by one of the greatest ecological missteps in the nation's history. Scott Travers, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 But as always, supervillains arrive to upend that happiness. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for upend 

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of upend was in 1823

Dictionary Entries Near upend

Cite this Entry

“Upend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upend. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

upend

verb
up·​end ˌə-ˈpend How to pronounce upend (audio)
: to set, stand, or rise on end

More from Merriam-Webster on upend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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