as in unrest
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
the government can no longer control the social upheaval brought about by the collapse of the country's economy
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Recent Examples of upheaval
This year’s awards were handed out at a time of political upheaval, one that has seen Donald Trump, who most people in the SAG awards audience oppose, return to power.
—
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 23 Feb. 2025
Smith explains that this is a consequence of the general upheaval caused by travel.
—Conor O'Neill, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
The move unleashed political upheaval in Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a top US ally, with the prime minister also impeached and suspended from power, while top military officials were indicted for their part in the matter.
—Reuters, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 23 Feb. 2025
Smith explains that this is a consequence of the general upheaval caused by travel.
—Conor O'Neill, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
The move unleashed political upheaval in Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a top US ally, with the prime minister also impeached and suspended from power, while top military officials were indicted for their part in the matter.
—Reuters, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for upheaval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheaval
Noun
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Political tensions rise over resource allocation, with social unrest more frequent.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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Pro-Palestinian sentiments still run strong among the peoples of the region, and history has proven how civil unrest can quickly lead to instability even in nominally stable nations.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The film follows Dormer as Dr. Audrey Evans, who is fighting her own revolution amidst the resistance to the Vietnam War in 1960s Philadelphia.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
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Saint-Domingue would launch its own revolution for independence less than a decade later, in part inspired by the Americans’ victory.—
Danielle Amir Jackson,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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For example, Armenia's early years of independence were marked by tragedies like the Gyumri earthquake and the Artsakh conflict, which fostered dependence on outside economic aid.—
Bree Carriglio,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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Six years of negative economic growth fueled by the succession of crises, mismanagement of the economy and disasters that have left the country even more broken than the powerful 2010 earthquake are all to blame.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Additionally, last week brought further turmoil to the crypto sector when leading exchange ByBit reported a $1.5 billion theft—the largest in industry history.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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The changes upended precedent and rattled a media company that has already been shaken by years of turmoil and leadership turnover.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Go deeper: Mike Johnson struggles to contain a GOP budget revolt Editor's note: This is a developing story.—
Andrew Solender,
Axios,
26 Feb. 2025
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Ray, although in his forties, was at one with youth in revolt.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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His clemency toward those convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection – including seditious conspiracy and assaults on police officers – was different in key ways from the two previous efforts, by Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Ulysses S. Grant in 1873.—
David Cason,
The Conversation,
7 Mar. 2025
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McKinley took a similar approach in dealing with Spain during its brutal effort to suppress an insurrection in Cuba against Spanish imperial rule.—
Robert W. Merry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Early in the uprising, Masri's home in Homs was known a safe haven.—
Jawad Rizkallah,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
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Most of them were imprisoned during the first and second intifadas, uprisings by Palestinians against Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Such a proliferation of storms is rare but not unprecedented, NASA noted, with meteorologists attributing the display in part to warm sea surface temperatures and weak wind shear conditions.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
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The best time to do this is after a storm, as pieces of amber are dislodged from the sea bed by rough waters.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upheaval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheaval. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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