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

also : an instance of this

Synonyms

• bouleversement
• cataclysm
• convulsion
• earthquake
• paroxysm
• storm
• tempest
• tumult
• uproar

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

The annual Conservative Political Action Conference is mere days away, with this year’s event starting a few weeks after President Donald Trump’s inauguration and ensuing massive upheaval of the U.S. government. —Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 Feb. 2025

Even for a department that has endured its share of scandals, the moves have produced upheaval not seen in decades, tested its independence and rattled the foundations of an institution that has long prided itself on being driven solely by facts, evidence and the law. —Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025

Both countries are also locked in political upheavals that stand to slow any responses. —Byjason Ma, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2025

The institutional upheaval follows Trump’s aggressive push to overhaul the center’s board of trustees, placing the D.C. venue squarely in the crosshairs of America’s culture wars. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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