Upend
verb
To flip, tip, or turn something upside down.
He upended the bucket and found a mouse underneath
Often appears as...
- upend a bottle
- upend a box
verb
To disrupt or disturb something.
The arrival of the new CEO upended the old routines of the company
Often appears as...
- upend routines
- upend plans
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To defeat a competitor or rival, often unexpectedly.
The underdog team upended the defending champions in a dramatic upset
Often appears as...
- upend a champion
- upend a favorite
Usage tips
Approving
verb
To flip, tip, or turn something upside down.
He upended the bucket and found a mouse underneath
Often appears as...
- upend a bottle
- upend a box
verb
To disrupt or disturb something.
The arrival of the new CEO upended the old routines of the company
Often appears as...
- upend routines
- upend plans
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To defeat a competitor or rival, often unexpectedly.
The underdog team upended the defending champions in a dramatic upset
Often appears as...
- upend a champion
- upend a favorite
Usage tips
Approving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Action
Used when describing a literal action of making something inverted.
She upended the vase to shake out the remaining water.
Pro Tip 2/2Visual Impact
Highlights the significant change in appearance when something is upended.
Upending the picture on the wall gave the room a strange look.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Action
Used when describing a literal action of making something inverted.
She upended the vase to shake out the remaining water.
Pro Tip 2/2Visual Impact
Highlights the significant change in appearance when something is upended.
Upending the picture on the wall gave the room a strange look.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Action
Used when describing a literal action of making something inverted.
She upended the vase to shake out the remaining water.
Pro Tip 2/2Visual Impact
Highlights the significant change in appearance when something is upended.
Upending the picture on the wall gave the room a strange look.
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Video examples
Ariel Garten: Know...
Perhaps even more importantly, thought-controlled computing can give children with ADD insights into their own fluctuating mental states, so they can better understand themselves and their learning needs. The way these children will be able to use their new awareness to improve themselves will upend many of the damaging and widespread social stigmas
Video examples
The future of digital...
why we believe with whatsapp it's so important that we match the security and privacy you have in-person digitally and not say hey this digital world is totally different we should change all the ways human beings communicate and completely upend the rules no we should try to match that as best we can because there's something
Video examples
History's deadliest king...
They also used this practice as punishment. If rubber quotas weren’t met, soldiers would sever people’s hands and bring them to their commanders instead of rubber. The regime dramatically upended daily life and agriculture, causing widespread starvation and disease.
Video examples
Why the best hire might...
They embrace their trauma and hardships as key elements of who they've become, and know that without those experiences, they might not have developed the muscle and grit required to become successful. One of my colleagues had his life completely upended
Video examples
Online learning could...
It upended my life. But there was a silver lining that felt slightly cosmic. He left me a little bit of money that allowed me to step off the academic path and try my own thing. I poured myself into work, churning out videos day and night.
Video examples
You have no idea where...
And for me, it completely upended the way I think of the camel. It went from being this ridiculously niche creature suited only to this one specific environment, to being this world traveler that just happens to be in the Sahara,
Video examples
The Secret to Mastering...
I didn't know how to tell that story. I didn't want to tell that story. When I did, I discovered that everyone feels their life has been upended in some way. That their life is somehow off-schedule, off-track, off-kilter.
Video examples
TED invites the class of...
We learned together, we ate together, we played together. We hung out with each other every day. But as the coronavirus spread, our world was upended. In February, hundreds of millions of us lost access to our schools.
Video examples
What lives in ice? PIPE...
upended my understanding of ice of wilderness and the amazing complexity of our planet when you look out at sea ice it looks vast it looks forbidding it looks empty
Video examples
Inside a Volcano PIPE...
fierce storms upended the planet and us cold and slushy climate began to warm in just a few hundred years temperatures
Video examples
Ariel Garten: Know...
Perhaps even more importantly, thought-controlled computing can give children with ADD insights into their own fluctuating mental states, so they can better understand themselves and their learning needs. The way these children will be able to use their new awareness to improve themselves will upend many of the damaging and widespread social stigmas
Video examples
The future of digital...
why we believe with whatsapp it's so important that we match the security and privacy you have in-person digitally and not say hey this digital world is totally different we should change all the ways human beings communicate and completely upend the rules no we should try to match that as best we can because there's something
Video examples
History's deadliest king...
They also used this practice as punishment. If rubber quotas weren’t met, soldiers would sever people’s hands and bring them to their commanders instead of rubber. The regime dramatically upended daily life and agriculture, causing widespread starvation and disease.
Video examples
Why the best hire might...
They embrace their trauma and hardships as key elements of who they've become, and know that without those experiences, they might not have developed the muscle and grit required to become successful. One of my colleagues had his life completely upended
Video examples
Online learning could...
It upended my life. But there was a silver lining that felt slightly cosmic. He left me a little bit of money that allowed me to step off the academic path and try my own thing. I poured myself into work, churning out videos day and night.
Video examples
You have no idea where...
And for me, it completely upended the way I think of the camel. It went from being this ridiculously niche creature suited only to this one specific environment, to being this world traveler that just happens to be in the Sahara,
Video examples
The Secret to Mastering...
I didn't know how to tell that story. I didn't want to tell that story. When I did, I discovered that everyone feels their life has been upended in some way. That their life is somehow off-schedule, off-track, off-kilter.
Video examples
TED invites the class of...
We learned together, we ate together, we played together. We hung out with each other every day. But as the coronavirus spread, our world was upended. In February, hundreds of millions of us lost access to our schools.
Video examples
What lives in ice? PIPE...
upended my understanding of ice of wilderness and the amazing complexity of our planet when you look out at sea ice it looks vast it looks forbidding it looks empty
Video examples
Inside a Volcano PIPE...
fierce storms upended the planet and us cold and slushy climate began to warm in just a few hundred years temperatures
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Sallie Krawcheck
American Businesswoman
In the old world of business, there was often just one seat at the leadership table for women, two at best. That meant that only so many women could advance. But in a world where women recognize the power that they own - and where technology can upend the traditional rules of engagement - one woman winning doesn't mean another loses.
Quote examples
Jason Isbell
American Musician
When I was writing 'Southeastern,' I'd just recently gotten sober. For me, that was a major turning point in my life. It changed things I did on a day-to-day basis. My whole routine was upended. It took me some time to get used to that and figure out how do I keep myself entertained.
Quote examples
Suze Orman
American Author
Yes, your kids should go to school. No, you shouldn't bankroll their degree whatever the cost. You've spent your life creating a sound financial plan; don't upend it by suspending your retirement savings or taking out a home equity line of credit to pay for a pricey college.
Quote examples
Russell Banks
American Author
I much prefer working with kids whose life could be completely upended by a reading of a book over a weekend. You give them a book to read - they go home and come back a changed person. And that is so much more interesting and exciting.
Quote examples
Michael Wolff
American Author
Brexit and Trump had upended the fundamental establishment viewpoint that politics was aspirational, that good politics promised progress, generational betterment and ever-expanding world reach.
Quote examples
Ari Aster
American Director
In some ways, the audience becomes complacent when they go to a horror film. And so it's fun to take that attitude and then to upend it.
Quote examples
Lee Isaac Chung
American Director
My mom grew up without a father because he died in the Korean War. And my grandmother, her life was completely upended because of that.
Quote examples
Brian Deese
As new technologies upend the economics of climate change, the politics surrounding the environment are changing, too.
Quote examples
Mike White
Writer
I'm attracted to polarizing characters who upend the civility of life.
Quote examples
Jaime Harrison
American Politician
COVID-19 has upended our economy.
Quote examples
Sallie Krawcheck
American Businesswoman
In the old world of business, there was often just one seat at the leadership table for women, two at best. That meant that only so many women could advance. But in a world where women recognize the power that they own - and where technology can upend the traditional rules of engagement - one woman winning doesn't mean another loses.
Quote examples
Jason Isbell
American Musician
When I was writing 'Southeastern,' I'd just recently gotten sober. For me, that was a major turning point in my life. It changed things I did on a day-to-day basis. My whole routine was upended. It took me some time to get used to that and figure out how do I keep myself entertained.
Quote examples
Suze Orman
American Author
Yes, your kids should go to school. No, you shouldn't bankroll their degree whatever the cost. You've spent your life creating a sound financial plan; don't upend it by suspending your retirement savings or taking out a home equity line of credit to pay for a pricey college.
Quote examples
Russell Banks
American Author
I much prefer working with kids whose life could be completely upended by a reading of a book over a weekend. You give them a book to read - they go home and come back a changed person. And that is so much more interesting and exciting.
Quote examples
Michael Wolff
American Author
Brexit and Trump had upended the fundamental establishment viewpoint that politics was aspirational, that good politics promised progress, generational betterment and ever-expanding world reach.
Quote examples
Ari Aster
American Director
In some ways, the audience becomes complacent when they go to a horror film. And so it's fun to take that attitude and then to upend it.
Quote examples
Lee Isaac Chung
American Director
My mom grew up without a father because he died in the Korean War. And my grandmother, her life was completely upended because of that.
Quote examples
Brian Deese
As new technologies upend the economics of climate change, the politics surrounding the environment are changing, too.
Quote examples
Mike White
Writer
I'm attracted to polarizing characters who upend the civility of life.
Quote examples
Jaime Harrison
American Politician
COVID-19 has upended our economy.
Example 1 of 10
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