as in revolutions
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 upheavals
The vaccination campaign for measles was disrupted during Bangladesh's recent political upheavals.
—
ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Sitting around a wood stove and drinking cups of coffee and tea, the residents reflected on the upheavals that had become a regular feature of their lives.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Right now, marketers are still trying to get a read on how economic conditions may shake out, and there won’t be much clarity in the ad market until budgets are registered—a process that itself will be complicated by the ongoing geopolitical upheavals.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Over the course of the twentieth century, with its endless economic and political upheavals, the numbers of both people and reindeer in the camp have dwindled.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Epic survived upheavals in 1990’s with the move from 2D to 3D with Unreal 1; in the 2000’s building console games with Gears of War; and in 2012 moving to online gaming with Paragon and Fortnite.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
The fundamental sources of our troubles, going back half a century, are economic inequality, political paralysis, corruption, mass immigration, and cultural and technological upheavals.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The still untitled show will delve into their lives and explore how shifting political, social, and artistic upheavals shaped their relationship and oeuvre.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
At a planning board meeting in January, an opponent of One Boca cited the upheavals of the last century and asked how anyone could approve a long-term plan given the uncertainty the next hundred years may bring.
—Jason Haber, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Sitting around a wood stove and drinking cups of coffee and tea, the residents reflected on the upheavals that had become a regular feature of their lives.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Right now, marketers are still trying to get a read on how economic conditions may shake out, and there won’t be much clarity in the ad market until budgets are registered—a process that itself will be complicated by the ongoing geopolitical upheavals.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Over the course of the twentieth century, with its endless economic and political upheavals, the numbers of both people and reindeer in the camp have dwindled.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Epic survived upheavals in 1990’s with the move from 2D to 3D with Unreal 1; in the 2000’s building console games with Gears of War; and in 2012 moving to online gaming with Paragon and Fortnite.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
The fundamental sources of our troubles, going back half a century, are economic inequality, political paralysis, corruption, mass immigration, and cultural and technological upheavals.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The still untitled show will delve into their lives and explore how shifting political, social, and artistic upheavals shaped their relationship and oeuvre.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
At a planning board meeting in January, an opponent of One Boca cited the upheavals of the last century and asked how anyone could approve a long-term plan given the uncertainty the next hundred years may bring.
—Jason Haber, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upheavals
Noun
-
And the reason for that is precisely because Apple’s products go through revolutions only rarely.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Architectural revolutions in health care are rare, and institutions do not easily relinquish their position at the center of the record.—
Celina Yong,
STAT,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With earthquakes, the stock market, and entire nations at risk, Charlie and Julia must confront whether their passionate love can survive amidst so much chaos.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
1 May 2026
-
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
During the Arab Spring revolts of the early 2010s, Cairo was routinely racked by blackouts, and Mansour teamed up with an architect friend to experiment with rooftop solar on houses.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
After enduring a series of mini-revolts from fans criticizing last spring’s casting announcement and December’s first-look trailer, Survivor 50 has gotten off to an encouraging start.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There were rebellions, insurrections and an Appian Way lined with crucifixions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the United States, the Civil War reshaped the nation and redefined freedom, while revolutionary movements and nationalist uprisings spread across Europe.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In 2020, during the George Floyd uprisings, Seattle became one of the country’s most volatile flashpoints.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some storms could produce hail larger than 3 inches in diameter, especially with stronger rotating cells.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Hail damage contributed to $51 billion in insured losses last year from severe storms, according to the Insurance Information Institute.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
About two couples, connected and dependent on one another, raising their kids alongside each other, facing the same turmoils, the same existential questions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Mayer and Strong offer a broad pop-history lesson, in which the same tensions and turmoils churn on and on in their terrible cycle throughout the decades; the only thing that’s changed are the aesthetics.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Noun
-
In 1602, she was afflicted by a slew of symptoms, such as convulsions, fits, and terrors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But her vitals are strong and there’s startling force in her unpredictable convulsions and bone-chilling noises.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upheavals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upheavals. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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