upheaval

[ uhp-hee-vuhl ]
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noun
  1. strong or violent change or disturbance, as in a society: the upheaval of war.

  2. an act of upheaving, especially of a part of the earth's crust.

  1. the state of being upheaved.

  2. Geology. an upward warping of a part of the earth's crust, forcing certain areas into a relatively higher position than before.

Origin of upheaval

1
First recorded in 1830–40; upheave + -al2

Other words for upheaval

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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British Dictionary definitions for upheaval

upheaval

/ (ʌpˈhiːvəl) /


noun
  1. a strong, sudden, or violent disturbance, as in politics, social conditions, etc

  2. geology another word for uplift (def. 7)

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