noun
upheaval
uhp-HEE-vuhl
noun
1
A sudden, dramatic change that disrupts the normal state of things.
"The company went through massive upheaval after the merger."
"Political upheaval swept through the region in the 1990s."
2
The geological process of land being pushed or raised upward.
"The mountain range formed through millions of years of upheaval."
How to Use Upheaval
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA big, disruptive shake-up — whether in society, a person's life, or the earth itself.
Common pairings
social upheaval
political upheaval
emotional upheaval
Word Forms
upheavals plural
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The company went through massive _____ after the merger.
Etymology
From upheave + the noun-forming suffix -al.