1
as in defeated
to achieve a victory over
the team won the division play-offs, but was upended in the final championship game
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in erected
to fix in an upright position
we had to upend the sofa in order to fit it into the elevator
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upended
Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
But when a secret comes to life, their plans to attend the same college—and live out their happily ever after—are upended.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
Asheville was one of several western North Carolina towns ravaged by the destructive force of Hurricane Helene, which damaged structures and upended lives in September 2024.
—Kendrick Marshall, Charlotte Observer, 26 Sep. 2025
Freight rates thus far in the second half of 2025 have been characterized by a constant decline on the heels of tariff whiplash that largely dominated the April-to-June stretch and ultimately upended (and cut short) the typical August-to-October peak shipping season.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 22 Sep. 2025
Adolescence tells the story of Eddie (Graham) and Manda Miller (Christine Tremarco), whose lives are upended when their 13-year-old son Jamie (Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a girl at his school.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025
More Americans have enrolled their children in charter schools in the years since the coronavirus pandemic upended education, according to new data—at a time when enrollment at traditional public schools is continuing to decline.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
But when Delilah unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep — literally — Kate and Mac’s life and holiday season get upended.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Annie Smith tallied two goals, while Addison Combs had a goal and an assist as Apponequet (4-0-1) upended Bourne 5-0 in a South Coast Conference game.
—Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
The film, which Jacir has spent eight years developing, centers on a group of Palestinian villagers whose lives are upended by British occupation, tracing the birth of a national movement that reverberates through generations.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
Its AlphaFold protein prediction project upended the field of biotech.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Once the war began, however, our lives were upended.
—Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
But then a strike upended the team’s World Series run and the season came to a halt.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
But in February, that future was upended when Cano’s factory declared bankruptcy.
—Ladan Anoushfar, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
While virtually all of society and the corporate world have been upended by the arrival of AI, Hollywood is in a particularly fraught situation with Sora and other video models.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
The contest has already upended New York politics and drawn national attention.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Yet, even with the Saints missing Brees and top running back Alvin Kamara, the Bears were all too easily upended.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
But when a secret comes to life, their plans to attend the same college—and live out their happily ever after—are upended.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
Asheville was one of several western North Carolina towns ravaged by the destructive force of Hurricane Helene, which damaged structures and upended lives in September 2024.
—Kendrick Marshall, Charlotte Observer, 26 Sep. 2025
Freight rates thus far in the second half of 2025 have been characterized by a constant decline on the heels of tariff whiplash that largely dominated the April-to-June stretch and ultimately upended (and cut short) the typical August-to-October peak shipping season.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 22 Sep. 2025
Adolescence tells the story of Eddie (Graham) and Manda Miller (Christine Tremarco), whose lives are upended when their 13-year-old son Jamie (Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a girl at his school.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025
More Americans have enrolled their children in charter schools in the years since the coronavirus pandemic upended education, according to new data—at a time when enrollment at traditional public schools is continuing to decline.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
But when Delilah unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep — literally — Kate and Mac’s life and holiday season get upended.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Annie Smith tallied two goals, while Addison Combs had a goal and an assist as Apponequet (4-0-1) upended Bourne 5-0 in a South Coast Conference game.
—Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The deployments have sparked intense backlash, a dizzying number of legal battles and upended daily life in communities flooded with federal agents and National Guard troops.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
The film, which Jacir has spent eight years developing, centers on a group of Palestinian villagers whose lives are upended by British occupation, tracing the birth of a national movement that reverberates through generations.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
Its AlphaFold protein prediction project upended the field of biotech.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Once the war began, however, our lives were upended.
—Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
But then a strike upended the team’s World Series run and the season came to a halt.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
But in February, that future was upended when Cano’s factory declared bankruptcy.
—Ladan Anoushfar, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
While virtually all of society and the corporate world have been upended by the arrival of AI, Hollywood is in a particularly fraught situation with Sora and other video models.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
The contest has already upended New York politics and drawn national attention.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upended
Verb
-
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has not defeated Barcelona in La Liga play since October 2021.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Oregon defeated Wisconsin 21-7 in front of 58,940 fans at Autzen Stadium.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Archaeologists concluded the structure was actually a false tomb, or a cenotaph, a type of burial monument erected to honor a deceased person buried elsewhere.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Obregon said a barrier couldn’t be erected if it wasn’t tied to an active transportation project.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
How Tielemans overcame early toils is often used as a source of encouragement by new additions who seem peripheral at first.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Bernal says Mamdani overcame Cuomo's attacks over his relatively thin resume by offering big progressive ideas, like freezing apartment rents and offering free city bus service, that appeal to many young voters.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
During the president’s first term in office, his officials raised alarms about Beijing’s growing technological prowess, its military buildup, and its dominance over the critical minerals industry.—
Mira Rapp-Hooper,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
-
This week, faced with the prospect of losing SNAP assistance and the stress of the holidays around the corner, Gabrielle, a West Virginia resident, reluctantly raised her hand in a community Facebook group.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Few people have mastered the art of quietly luxurious style as well as Gwyneth Paltrow, and a quick scroll through her Instagram page proves it.—
Melony Forcier,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The Whisky Highball has become the de-facto national mixed drink of Japan, and the Japanese have, predictably, mastered the art.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On the surface, Çiftlik Bank—Turkish for Farm Bank—was little more than a FarmVille rip-off; the functionality for tending to digital crops and livestock was lifted more or less straight from their competitor.—
Moisés Naím,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The crowd can get so tight that people are lifted off the ground beneath them.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The day of her death Milwaukee police would be called three more times before Zettel took her last breath.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Conservative activist Laura Loomer on Sunday took credit for Hamdi’s arrest.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Nicholas is dispatched to find the identity of the owner and locate a telephone.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
According to the Cincinnati Fire Department, 37 firefighters were dispatched to the bridge to attempt to rescue him.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upended. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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