View synonyms for

upend

[ uhp-end ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to set on end, as a barrel or ship.
to affect drastically or radically, as tastes, opinions, reputations, or systems.
to defeat in competition, as in boxing or business.

verb (used without object)

to become upended.
to place the body back-end up, as a dabbling duck.

upend

/ ʌ��ˈɛ�Ի� /

verb

to turn or set or become turned or set on end
tr to affect or upset drastically

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Word History and Origins

Origin of upend¹

First recorded in 1815–25; up- + end ¹

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Individual pieces of research have gradually identified a host of different brain cell types, upending our simple image of the brain as a very powerful computer.

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If the program shuts down, Palafox said it will upend her daughter’s learning — and their lives.

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He traveled cross-country and upended his entire young life for this last chance.

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Benedict XVI, the former pope who upended centuries of tradition by resigning as pontiff, has died at 95.

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The US and China, the world's two biggest economies, are interdependent and Trump's staggering tariffs have upended that relationship overnight, leading to an inevitable question: who is the more dependent of the two?

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Related Words

updrift UPF

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