upend

verb

up·​end ˌəp-ˈend 

upended; upending; upends

transitive verb

1

: to set or stand on end

also : overturn sense 1

2

a

: to affect to the point of being upset or flurried

a … literary shocker, designed to upend the credulous matrons

—Wolcott Gibbs

b

: defeat, beat

intransitive verb

: to rise on an end

Synonyms

• beat
• best
• conquer
• defeat
• dispatch
• do down [British]
• get
• get around
• lick
• master
• overbear
• overcome
• overmatch
• prevail (over)
• skunk
• stop
• subdue
• surmount
• take
• trim
• triumph (over)
• win (against)
• worst

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

Donald Trump’s new administration upending nearly a century of U.S. foreign policy. —ABC News, 23 Feb. 2025

PayPal upended finance more than 25 years ago by letting businesses accept online payments. —Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 22 Feb. 2025

This executive order has upended the lives of individuals in prisons, at schools, seeking health care and in sports. —Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 21 Feb. 2025

Shortly after coming into office for his second term, the president ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid, upending foreign development projects overseas and throwing contractors, nonprofit organizations and international aid groups into uncertainty. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for upend

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend

Kids Definition

upend

verb

up·​end ˌə-ˈpend 

: to set, stand, or rise on end