upend

verb

ˌəp-ˈend How to pronounce upend (audio)
Definition of upendnext
1
as in to defeat
to achieve a victory over the team won the division play-offs, but was upended in the final championship game

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to erect
to fix in an upright position we had to upend the sofa in order to fit it into the elevator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of upend For the Brotherhood, Rabaa became the defining catastrophe of its post-2013 political memory, upending its organization, self-conception, and belief in its own permanence. — Abdelrahman Elgendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 Soaring property prices have upended European politics from Portugal to Germany, with the issue rising to the top of voter worries in several countries as prices race ahead of incomes. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026 The pandemic and the streaming wars upended moviegoing habits. — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026 Atlanta’s rotation got upended during its three-game NL wild-card series win over the Philadelphia Phillies, with the Braves using ace Chris Sale in relief in the deciding game. — Beth Harris, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for upend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upend
  1. defeat
  2. erect
  3. overcome
  4. raise
  5. master
  6. take
  7. beat
  8. conquer
Verb
  • Trump’s appearance in San Antonio comes as Republicans fight to keep Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico from defeating Paxton.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Unfortunately, the same forces that defeated previous permitting reform packages — primarily left-wing interest groups — are threatening to smother this legislation.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • The court’s decision comes just weeks after the administration erected the first border wall panels in the Big Bend sector in the middle of September.
    — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The blades were smaller then, the towers shorter, the whole apparatus closer to a windmill than the hulking machines erected today—the tallest of which exceed 300 meters, with rotor blades longer than a football field.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of erect
Verb
  • These sessions have helped Ellis develop a better understanding of the challenges others have overcome.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The three-time AL MVP played just seven games after May 31 because of a fractured rib and the leg injury, an absence the team couldn't overcome.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Key justices appeared wary about the potential sweep of litigation, but torn over the complex questions of federal and state law raised by the case.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Boat trips to Capri and Positano are on the doorstep, as are hair-raising Vespa tours on hairpin roads and private visits to Pompei and Herculaneum.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of raise
Verb
  • Furthermore, based on my experience, machines need a lot more data than humans to master the same skill.
    — Yifeng Yin, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Horton said he is focused on informing fans and mastering the fundamentals.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of master
Verb
  • Chandler primarily uses his guitars to produce radar sweeps of drone, which allows Schwendener’s bass to take full responsibility for Beat’s melodies.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Then last year, during the mass federal government turnover, Brower took a buyout from her job as a public health consultant, and Simone said their position with the General Services Administration was eliminated.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of take
Verb
  • Built along a verdant slope edging Bodrum’s Paradise Bay, this contemporary property offers hard-to-beat vistas.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Hastert became a congressional candidate in 1986 and beat the Democrat with 52% of the vote, his smallest margin of victory in a congressional race.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of beat
Verb
  • In a single generation, energy drinks have conquered the beverage world.
    — Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Andersen predicts security concerns will ultimately keep China’s turbine giants from conquering the continent.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of conquer

Browse Nearby Words

updos
upend
upended
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Cite this Entry

“Upend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upend. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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