Meaning & use

upended

verb·Academic

Turned upside down, knocked onto its end, or, of a plan or routine, thrown into sudden disorder.

See it in a sentence

The strong wave upended the small canoe, spilling both paddlers into the lake.

Her career plans were upended when the company unexpectedly closed its local office.

A note on using this word

Upended is the past tense and past participle of "upend"; it is often used figuratively for plans or routines that are suddenly disrupted, not just physical objects.

Words with a similar meaning

overturnedtoppled

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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