upheaval

American  

[uhp-hee-vuhl] / ʌpˈhi vəl /

noun

1. strong or violent change or disturbance, as in a society.

   the upheaval of war.

   Synonyms:

   turmoil, disorder, disruption

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

3. the state of being upheaved.

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

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upheaval British  

/ ʌpˈhiːvəl /

noun

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

2. geology another word for uplift

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Etymology

Origin of upheaval

First recorded in 1830–40; upheave + -al ²

Example Sentences

"Cambodia is in upheaval," one Chinese man told AFP.

From Barron's

Traders raced to maneuver around geopolitical upheaval and bet on the rise of artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal

I do not see how a total upheaval at this point is in her best interest.

From MarketWatch

“Revolutionary upheaval in Iran seems only a matter of time,” said Christopher Granville, managing director at TS Lombard, in a note dated Wednesday.

From MarketWatch

“Revolutionary upheaval in Iran seems only a matter of time,” said Christopher Granville, managing director at TS Lombard, in a note dated Wednesday.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• cataclysm
• catastrophe
• disaster
• disorder
• disruption
• disturbance
• eruption
• explosion
• ferment
• outbreak
• revolution
• shakeout
• temblor
• tremor
• tumult
• turmoil