PoliticsAugust 21, 2026

upheaval

up-HEE-vul

Definition

A state of sudden, radical, or violent change and disruption in a country's political or social structure.

Etymology

Derived from the verb upheave, meaning to lift or heave upward. It transitioned from a literal sense of lifting up to a metaphorical sense of major disruption or disorder by the 19th century.

In the news

The article uses the word to describe the intense period of political instability and protest in Bangladesh leading up to the change in government. It highlights the importance of the presidential election in restoring stability following this period of unrest.

BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir elected Bangladesh president

Read the full article ↗

Connected to India

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.