upheaval
noun
strong or violent change or disturbance, as in a society.
upheavals
-
pluralof upheaval.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Ragtime," which explores the social and economic upheavals affecting non-white people in early 20th century America, received four awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
With a series of major upheavals in the past month alone, Roberts has signaled that he is shifting to a two-minute offense.
From Slate ● May 13, 2026
The emirate, now home to some 240,000 Britons, represented a place to start afresh, far from the rising costs, political upheavals and overbearing class system back home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
The wave of demonstrations marked some of the most dramatic upheavals in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, which installed the clerical system led by a Supreme Leader.
From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026
This opinion has been held all the more in our own times because of the enormous upheavals that have been observed and are being observed every day—events beyond human conjecture.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
