Synonyms of upend

upend

verb

ˌəp-ˈend 

1

as in to defeat

to achieve a victory over

the team won the division play-offs, but was upended in the final championship game

Synonyms & Similar Words

• defeat
• overcome
• master
• take
• beat
• worst
• conquer
• get
• best
• stop
• dispatch
• subdue
• surmount
• succeed
• prevail (over)
• win (against)
• lick
• triumph (over)
• get the better of
• overbear
• get around
• overmatch
• trim
• overwhelm
• sweep
• bury
• do down
• crush
• surpass
• annihilate
• finish
• flatten
• exceed
• upset
• skunk
• slaughter
• overthrow
• clobber
• better
• knock for a loop
• trounce
• unseat
• blow out
• break
• subjugate
• transcend
• excel
• vanquish
• rout
• score
• flourish
• blow away
• edge (out)
• whip
• overpower
• bomb
• cap
• top
• outdo
• thrash
• drub
• outstrip
• cream
• nose out
• outshine
• snow under
• outdistance
• wallop
• knock over
• skin
• pip
• smoke
• eclipse
• shellac
• overtop
• ace (out)
• wax
• outfight
• knock off

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lose (to)
• fall
• fail
• go down
• give up
• collapse
• fold
• go under
• wash out
• flunk
• flop

2

as in to erect

to fix in an upright position

we had to upend the sofa in order to fit it into the elevator

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erect
• raise
• lift
• rear
• hoist
• set up
• elevate
• put up
• pitch
• uphold
• upraise
• buttress
• brace
• support
• heighten
• up
• uplift
• shore (up)
• prop (up)
• boost
• hike
• heave
• crane
• heft
• perk (up)
• jack (up)
• pick up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• flatten
• demolish
• level
• tear down
• raze
• knock down

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of upend

Sarah Nuwayhid in Beirut is in her first year of university, an important milestone in any young person’s life, but the war between Israel and Hezbollah upended her plans. —Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026

Still, the International Atomic Energy Agency warned that the damage could significantly shorten the NSC’s 100-year lifespan, upending its core safety function. —Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026

The sector has already been crushed this year on concerns that AI tools from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI will upend the dominant cloud subscription model. —Seema Mody,kate Rooney, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026

The world may have been upended by the war and the ink has barely dried on the Treaty of Versailles, but the society doyennes are doing their darnedest to return to the rituals and rites that used to govern our days. —Danielle Parker, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026