UPENDING Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

upending

verb

present participle of upend

as in defeating

to achieve a victory over the team won the division play-offs, but was upended in the final championship game

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in erecting

to fix in an upright position we had to upend the sofa in order to fit it into the elevator

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of upending The adviser told me that, even without drastically expanding the budget or upending the financial markets, Burnham could borrow a bit more to finance public-infrastructure investments and channel money to depressed regions. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 For more than two decades, the duo hauled in more than 4 pounds of clams each morning from the lagoon in the Po River Delta — upending the notion that women were unsuited for such a rigorous job. — Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026 Budget carriers have been under pressure to go upmarket as larger rivals post revenue growth from the front of the cabin, upending discounters’ once-profitable model of no-frills seating and amenities. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 14 July 2026 On June 30, 13 Republicans followed through on those threats, sinking the procedural measure put on the floor by leadership and upending plans to pass several must-pass pieces of legislation ahead of the House’s July 4 recess. — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2026 After a decade of cutting deals, upending relations and generally maneuvering himself to the center of the world stage, here are some of the ways Trump has talked about — and to — his international peers. — Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 14 July 2026 Moreover, Iran alienated several of its neighbors in the Gulf by launching retaliatory attacks against them and upending regional trade through the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 3 July 2026 Investors’ fears of Anthropic’s Mythos model, which was launched in April, upending all cybersecurity software businesses, have since subsided. — Kirk Ogunrinde, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Forces — some visible, some harder to see — are upending literature and education itself. — Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for upending

Verb

Instead of overcoming their fatal flaw and defeating their shadow-self, the titular Eternals are reckoning with their relationship to God and the grand arc of human history.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Oba Femi, who rose to prominence after defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and winning the 2026 King of the Ring, recently concluded his intense rivalry with Lesnar.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of defeating

Verb

The killing sparked nationwide unrest, with cartel members erecting highway blockades and setting fire to vehicles and buildings across 20 Mexican states.

— CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
While wide hips were considered a problem area not so long ago, designers are now erecting a sort of fashion monument to them—as a symbol of sensuality, strength, and self-determination.

— Kelly Niesen, Glamour, 24 July 2026

Definition of erecting

Verb

The biggest event in the sporting calendar drew to a close at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as Spain were crowned world champions for the second time, overcoming Argentina in one of the most dominant finals in recent memory.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Emotional intelligence, particularly self-awareness, is crucial to overcoming it.

— Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of overcoming

Verb

His abrupt decision to abandon plans to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial rights to private equity marks a rare and significant political defeat, exposing the limits of his authority and raising new questions about his future leadership.

— Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Factory managers were often on the defensive, since raising vision problems could sound like a critique of their management.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 31 July 2026

Definition of raising

Verb

Long days were spent cleaning, drawing and waiting for customers during slow periods, all while mastering a craft that permanently alters another person’s body.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
The course is built to walk parents step-by-step through mastering budget-busting expenses like diapers, wipes, formula, and groceries while building a supportive community of like-minded moms.

— Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026

Definition of mastering

Verb

Catherine is taking her anger out on those who hurt her, while Nora and Alice are both attempting to repress all of their fury.

— Erin Qualey, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
Numerous governments across Central and Eastern Europe are taking steps to conserve electricity and avert an energy crisis as record low water levels on the Danube River have forced power plants to the brink of shutting down.

— Justin Spike, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of taking

Verb

Despite a middling 50-51 record, the Padres are within two games of the National League’s final wild-card spot after beating the Atlanta Braves 8-3 on Tuesday.

— Dennis Lin, New York Times, 22 July 2026
The beating sun, and therefore sweaty, sunburned skin, demands a looser fit that’s light-as-air, and this popover style is perfect to throw on and go.

— Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 21 July 2026

Definition of beating

Verb

Weiss dramatically overhauled the program in May and June, dispatching half the on-air staff and several senior producers.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Ukraine became the latest country to send help, dispatching 70 people and 10 vehicles in the coming days, Nunez said.

— Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of dispatching

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“Upending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upending. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of upending

verb

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