upheaval

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   A sudden, large change that causes disorder and affects many people.

   Grammar: Countable for one event (an upheaval) and uncountable for the general state (social upheaval).

   Patterns

   • upheaval in something
   • upheaval of something

   The revolution caused years of political upheaval.

   Moving across the country was a huge upheaval for the family.

   Economic upheaval left thousands without work.

2. 2nouncountabletechnical

   A violent movement of the ground, as when part of the earth's crust is lifted or shifted.

   Grammar: A geological sense, less common.

   Patterns

   • an upheaval of something

   Geologists believe an ancient upheaval created the mountain range.

   The earthquake caused an upheaval in the ground.

   The volcano's eruption produced a vast upheaval of rock.

Word forms

Common combinations

political upheaval

The country has endured political upheaval for years.

social upheaval

Rapid urbanization led to social upheaval.

emotional upheaval

Divorce caused emotional upheaval for the children.

cause upheaval

The new rules caused upheaval at work.

period of upheaval

It was a period of upheaval for the whole industry.

Synonyms and how they differ

turmoil

Turmoil describes a state of confusion, while upheaval emphasizes a sudden change that has caused it.

disruption

Disruption can be small or brief, but upheaval implies a major disturbance.

turbulence

Turbulence suggests ongoing roughness, while upheaval suggests a decisive shake-up.

revolution

A revolution is a complete overthrow, but an upheaval may not change who is in charge.

Opposites

Word family

heave verb

to lift or pull with effort

upheave verb

to lift up; rare

upheaved adjective

lifted up violently

upheavals noun

the plural form

Commonly confused: upheaval or uprising?

Practice

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