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

• unrest
• revolution
• earthquake
• turmoil
• revolt
• insurrection
• uprising
• storm
• tumult
• convulsion

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 upheaval comes as brands battle to reverse a slowdown in luxury consumption worldwide, with aspirational consumers turning their backs on high-ends goods after several years of steep price increases in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025

But with the upheaval in amateurism and conference realignment, the old NCAA bureaucracy has been changing. —Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2025

And despite the major upheaval that tariff turmoil has wrought on the trading landscape, that trajectory is expected to continue. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025

Al-Sudani, who rose to power after that upheaval, insisted his government had taken tangible steps to restore public trust, such as economic progress and political stability. —Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for upheaval

• coeval
• medieval
• primeval
• retrieval
• evil
• weevil

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