upend
verb (used with object)
to set on end, as a barrel or ship.
was upending
-
past progressiveof upend.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
His grandfather had fled their village in 1948 to avoid being conscripted in the civil war that was upending millions of lives.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
And some of them worried that Google was upending the center's own pilot project to digitize its collection for future AI use.
From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2022
The strike was upending the plans of employees trying to get to work, students during exam season and music-lovers headed for the Glastonbury Festival, which starts Wednesday in southwest England.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 21, 2022
Across California, there were signs of how COVID-19 was upending life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2020
Here, in a state with a long history of powerful unions, Mr. Walker’s plan was upending life in the capital city.
From New York Times ● Feb. 17, 2011
