upheaval
gb/ʌphˈivəl/ us/ʌphˈivəl/
B2
English
felfordulás, felszínelmozdulás
NOUN
C1
1
felfordulás
B2
Usage pattern:
upheaval in [country/region/society]
The country went through years of political upheaval after the disputed election.
A vitatott választás után az ország évekig tartó politikai felforduláson ment keresztül.
The reforms triggered social upheaval as old institutions collapsed.
A reformok társadalmi felfordulást váltottak ki, ahogy a régi intézmények összeomlottak.
Many families left the region during the upheaval.
Learner examples
There was upheaval in the government.
Felfordulás volt a kormányban.
People feared more upheaval in the capital.
Az emberek további felfordulástól tartottak a fővárosban.
Common mistake:
Often confused with revolution; an upheaval may be less organized and not necessarily successful.
Meaning
major social or political disruption
Collocations
political upheaval
|social upheaval
|civil upheaval
|period of upheaval
|widespread upheaval
|years of upheaval
|postwar upheaval
|spark an upheaval
|face upheaval
|recover from upheaval
Synonyms
turmoil (Emphasizes confusion and unrest rather than change itself.)
|
unrest (Focuses on public protest and dissatisfaction.)
|
aval (Highlights a collapse of order; slightly more dramatic and formal.)
Antonyms
stability (A steady situation without major disruption.)
|
order (A condition of control and predictability.)
Themes
politics
|society
|history
|conflict
Definition
A big change in a country or society that creates disorder.
A sudden, major change in society or government that causes disorder and uncertainty, often involving conflict or protest.
NOUN
C1
2
felfordulás
B2
Usage pattern:
upheaval in [company/industry/economy]
The merger created upheaval across the company, with teams being reorganized overnight.
Az összeolvadás az egész vállalatnál felfordulást okozott: a csapatokat egyik napról a másikra átszervezték.
Rapid advances in AI are causing upheaval in several industries.
Az MI gyors fejlődése több iparágban is felfordulást okoz.
The pandemic led to economic upheaval and widespread job losses.
Learner examples
The new rules caused upheaval in the office.
Az új szabályok felfordulást okoztak az irodában.
There was upheaval in the market last week.
A múlt héten felfordulás volt a piacon.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse it for small changes; it usually suggests large-scale disruption.
Meaning
major disruption in a system
Collocations
economic upheaval
|market upheaval
|industry upheaval
|management upheaval
|organizational upheaval
|massive upheaval
|sudden upheaval
|undergo upheaval
|weather the upheaval
|upheaval caused by
Synonyms
disruption (Neutral term; may be less dramatic than upheaval.)
|
shake-up (More informal; often implies deliberate reorganization.)
|
overhaul (Emphasizes planned, thorough reform rather than disorder.)
Antonyms
continuity (Things continue without major change.)
|
smooth running (Operations proceed without disruption.)
Themes
business
|economy
|work
|technology
Definition
A big disruptive change in how a system or organization works.
A major disruption or reorganization in an organization, industry, economy, or other system that changes how things work.
NOUN
B2
3
felfordulás
B2
Usage pattern:
upheaval in [someone]'s life
Moving across the country caused a lot of upheaval for the children.
Az ország másik végébe költözés sok felfordulást okozott a gyerekeknek.
After the divorce, she tried to rebuild her life following months of upheaval.
A válás után megpróbálta újjáépíteni az életét a hónapokig tartó felfordulást követően.
He changed careers to escape the upheaval at home.
Learner examples
The move created upheaval in my life.
A költözés felfordulást okozott az életemben.
I want less upheaval this year.
Idén kevesebb felfordulást szeretnék.
Common mistake:
Not usually used for ordinary busy periods; it suggests major change and disturbance.
Meaning
sudden disruptive change in life
Collocations
personal upheaval
|family upheaval
|emotional upheaval
|life upheaval
|go through upheaval
|deal with upheaval
|bring upheaval
|after the upheaval
|without too much upheaval
|create upheaval for
Synonyms
turmoil (Focuses on emotional disturbance more than external change.)
|
upset (Common and less intense; may refer to feelings or events.)
|
aval (Very strong; suggests life feels out of control.)
Antonyms
calm (A peaceful state without disturbance.)
|
settled life (A stable personal situation.)
Themes
daily_life
|relationships
|emotions
|health
Definition
A big personal change that is stressful and unsettling.
A sudden, difficult change in someone’s personal life that causes stress and forces them to adjust.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
4
Usage pattern:
upheaval of [land/earth/crust]
The region shows signs of geological upheaval from millions of years ago.
A térségben több millió évvel ezelőtti geológiai felszínelmozdulások nyomai láthatók.
Repeated earthquakes caused upheaval along the fault line.
Az ismétlődő földrengések felszínelmozdulást okoztak a törésvonal mentén.
The island’s mountains were formed by volcanic upheaval.
Learner examples
Earthquakes can cause upheaval in the ground.
A földrengések felszínelmozdulást okozhatnak a földfelszínen.
Common mistake:
In general English, this sense is less common than social or organizational meanings.
Meaning
violent disturbance of the earth
Collocations
geological upheaval
|tectonic upheaval
|volcanic upheaval
|seismic upheaval
|upheaval of the earth's crust
|massive upheaval
|sudden upheaval
|period of upheaval
|cause upheaval
|evidence of upheaval
Synonyms
uplift (Technical term; emphasizes upward movement of land.)
|
earth movement (Broad term for ground shifting; less idiomatic.)
|
seismic activity (Focuses on earthquakes specifically, not all types of upheaval.)
Antonyms
stability (A stable crust without major movement.)
|
stillness (No noticeable movement or disturbance.)
Themes
nature
|science
|geography
Definition
A strong movement that changes the earth’s surface.
A violent movement or shifting of the earth’s surface, especially caused by geological forces such as earthquakes or volcanic activity.
Grammar
Dictionary form
upheaval
IPA
GB/ʌphˈivəl/
US/ʌphˈivəl/
Syllables & stress
up - heav - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (heav)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: upheaval
- Plural: upheaval, upheavals
Expressions
amid (the) upheaval
1/əmˈɪd ðə ʌphˈivəl/
fixed phrase
during a time of disruption
While things are changing and are disordered.
Examples
- Amid the upheaval, schools struggled to stay open.
- She kept the business running amid upheaval in the supply chain.
- Amid the political upheaval, many people postponed travel plans.
Learner examples
- Amid the upheaval, we stayed calm.
cause an upheaval
1/kˈɔz ən ʌphˈivəl/
fixed phrase
create major disruption and change
To make big changes that disrupt normal life.
Examples
- The new tax law caused an upheaval in the housing market.
- The discovery caused an upheaval in the field of medicine.
- Cutting the team in half would cause an upheaval in the department.
Learner examples
- The change caused an upheaval at work.
in (a state of) upheaval
1/ˈɪn ə stˈeɪt əv ʌphˈivəl/
fixed phrase
experiencing major disruption
Having a lot of disorder because of big changes.
Examples
- The company was in upheaval after the CEO resigned without warning.
- The capital is in a state of upheaval following the protests.
- Her schedule was in upheaval after the move.
Learner examples
- My life is in upheaval right now.
throw [something] into upheaval
1/θɹˈoʊ sˈʌmθɪŋ ˈɪntu ʌphˈivəl/
fixed phrase
cause sudden major disruption
To cause big disorder and change suddenly.
Examples
- The unexpected court ruling threw the industry into upheaval.
- A sudden power cut threw the entire event into upheaval.
- The scandal threw the government into upheaval weeks before the election.
Learner examples
- The news threw our plans into upheaval.