as in collapsing
to turn on one's side or upside down
afraid that my kayak would overturn
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Recent Examples of overturning
More than 160 years earlier, Galileo's telescopic observations had revealed mountains, valleys, and craters on the lunar surface, overturning the ancient notion that heavenly bodies were perfect spheres.
—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
2 July 2026
The ruling is the latest in a series of Supreme Court decisions that have loosened campaign finance restrictions, overturning a 2001 precedent that upheld the spending limits.
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Michel Martin,
NPR,
1 July 2026
The court, in a 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts (with the three Democratic appointees dissenting) ruled that the firing was legal, overturning the 91-year-old precedent in the process.
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Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
29 June 2026
The Supreme Court also decided that case Monday, ruling members of other independent boards can be fired at will by the president and overturning the 90-year precedent that said otherwise.
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Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The precedent-overturning 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court — with the five justices in the majority appointed by Republican presidents — permitted unlimited contributions.
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Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
The Cadillac then left the roadway, hitting a utility pole and overturning in a grassy area.
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Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
The court in recent decades has narrowed the precedent's reach but stopped short of overturning it.
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Will Dunham,
USA Today,
28 June 2026
Ehrlich said athletes very well could continue to petition courts for extended eligibility based on antitrust arguments, but appellate courts recently have delivered wins for the NCAA by overturning preliminary injunctions in several cases.
—
ABC News,
23 June 2026
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
2 July 2026
The ruling is the latest in a series of Supreme Court decisions that have loosened campaign finance restrictions, overturning a 2001 precedent that upheld the spending limits.
—
Michel Martin,
NPR,
1 July 2026
The court, in a 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts (with the three Democratic appointees dissenting) ruled that the firing was legal, overturning the 91-year-old precedent in the process.
—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
29 June 2026
The Supreme Court also decided that case Monday, ruling members of other independent boards can be fired at will by the president and overturning the 90-year precedent that said otherwise.
—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The precedent-overturning 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court — with the five justices in the majority appointed by Republican presidents — permitted unlimited contributions.
—
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
The Cadillac then left the roadway, hitting a utility pole and overturning in a grassy area.
—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
The court in recent decades has narrowed the precedent's reach but stopped short of overturning it.
—
Will Dunham,
USA Today,
28 June 2026
Ehrlich said athletes very well could continue to petition courts for extended eligibility based on antitrust arguments, but appellate courts recently have delivered wins for the NCAA by overturning preliminary injunctions in several cases.
—
ABC News,
23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overturning
Verb
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The camaraderie was evident on the ground here in La Guaira, the coastal city where quake damage was most severe, collapsing dozens of buildings.
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Unlike straw or lower-grade wool blends, beaver felt can be reworked without collapsing its structure, which is what allows hats to be reshaped by hand rather than stamped out of a mold.
Verb
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The Frontex patrol boat sank off the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo after capsizing, the coast guard said.
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Operators of another boat happened to be on the phone with the Coast Guard checking conditions in the inlet and reported the vessel, the Moonstruck, capsizing, according to The Coastland Times.
Verb
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The scale of that cost and who will bear them within the supply chain is one of the major uncertainties upsetting those faced with execution.
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As the 32nd and last seed, the Kaulig Racing driver made an improbably flamboyant run to a runner-up finish while upsetting Hamlin and 2012 champion Brad Keselowski.
Verb
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Statue toppling riots… and the very real possibility of death.
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Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 campaign to recover from a torn Achilles, but the Pacers were one game away from toppling the Oklahoma City Thunder and winning the 2024-25 championship before Haliburton got hurt.
Verb
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The report will also provide insight into whether American workers’ paychecks are falling further behind inflation.
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But Musk fell short of the yearly 5% minimum the IRS legally requires his foundation to give away, after falling roughly $423 million short in 2023.
Verb
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The Department of Justice sued Maryland and several other states for not turning over private voter rolls, which include personal information for millions of Maryland voters.
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Since the alliance of unions ratified their new contracts, both labor and Kaiser executives have signaled interest in turning over a new leaf.
Verb
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Forces — some visible, some harder to see — are upending literature and education itself.
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Iran attacked a cargo ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, possibly upending President Donald Trump‘s diplomatic end to the war with Iran.
Verb
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Celebrity CEOs in the feed What’s changed over the past few years is that the format of executive communications is tilting toward social‑native content.
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Since summer’s first day on June 21, the days have been growing shorter as the Northern Hemisphere slowly starts tilting toward autumn.
Cite this Entry
“Overturning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overturning. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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