Standard Lemma guide

upend

name · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ʌpˈɛnd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛnd
  • homophone: append

1

name

Meaning 1

A hamlet in Kirtling parish, East Cambridgeshire district, Cambridgeshire, England (OS grid ref TL7058).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To end up; to set on end.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To tip or turn over.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • When he upended the bottle of water over his sleeping sister, the lid popped off and surprised them both.
  • upend the box and empty the contents

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To destroy, invalidate, overthrow, or defeat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • The scientific evidence upended the popular myth.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To affect or upset drastically.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • By the middle of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic upended normal life for virtually all Americans.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

set, turn, or stand on end

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • upend the box and empty the contents

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: put, set, place, pose, position, lay

7

verb

Meaning 7

become turned or set on end

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the airplanes upended

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: overturn, turn over, tip over, tump over

History

Etymology

From up- + end.

Across languages

Translations

68 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: поставям на ръб (postavjam na rǎb) — to end up; to set on end
  • Dutch: stop zetten — to end up; to set on end
  • Dutch: beëindigen — to end up; to set on end
  • Finnish: panna kumolleen — to end up; to set on end
  • Finnish: kumota — to end up; to set on end
  • German: hochkant stellen — to end up; to set on end
  • Northern Kurdish: bi dawî anîn — to end up; to set on end
  • Northern Kurdish: qedandin — to end up; to set on end
  • Polish: kończyć — to end up; to set on end
  • Polish: skończyć — to end up; to set on end
  • Russian: зака́нчивать (zakánčivatʹ) — to end up; to set on end
  • Russian: положить конец (položitʹ konec) — to end up; to set on end
  • Spanish: poner vertical — to end up; to set on end
  • Swedish: resa upp — to end up; to set on end
  • Swedish: ställa på högkant — to end up; to set on end
  • Swedish: ställa på ända — to end up; to set on end
  • Bulgarian: преобръщам (preobrǎštam) — to tip or turn over
  • Czech: obrátit — to tip or turn over
  • Czech: převrátit — to tip or turn over
  • Czech: překlopit — to tip or turn over
  • Czech: otočit dnem vzhůru — to tip or turn over
  • Dutch: op zijn kop zetten — to tip or turn over
  • Dutch: omkeren — to tip or turn over
  • Dutch: omkiepen — to tip or turn over
  • Finnish: kääntää ympäri — to tip or turn over
  • Finnish: kumota — to tip or turn over
  • Finnish: kellauttaa — to tip or turn over
  • French: bouleverser — to tip or turn over
  • French: verser — to tip or turn over
  • German: umkippen — to tip or turn over
  • German: umstülpen — to tip or turn over
  • German: auf den Kopf stellen — to tip or turn over
  • Northern Kurdish: qulipandin — to tip or turn over
  • Northern Kurdish: serberjêr kirin — to tip or turn over
  • Māori: porohuri — to tip or turn over
  • Polish: przewracać do góry nogami — to tip or turn over
  • Polish: przewrócić do góry nogami — to tip or turn over
  • Portuguese: virar — to tip or turn over
  • Romanian: întoarce — to tip or turn over
  • Romanian: da peste cap — to tip or turn over
  • Russian: переворачивать (perevoračivatʹ) — to tip or turn over
  • Russian: опрокидывать (oprokidyvatʹ) — to tip or turn over
  • Spanish: dar vuelta — to tip or turn over
  • Spanish: voltear — to tip or turn over
  • Spanish: poner patas arriba — to tip or turn over
  • Swedish: vända på — to tip or turn over
  • Swedish: vända — to tip or turn over
  • Swedish: vända upp och ned på — to tip or turn over
  • Swedish: välta omkull — to tip or turn over
  • Dutch: onderuithalen — to destroy, invalidate
  • Finnish: kumota — to destroy, invalidate
  • Finnish: mitätöidä — to destroy, invalidate
  • Finnish: tuhota — to destroy, invalidate
  • Finnish: tehdä loppu — to destroy, invalidate
  • Finnish: tehdä tyhjäksi — to destroy, invalidate
  • German: zerstören — to destroy, invalidate
  • Northern Kurdish: perçiqandin — to destroy, invalidate
  • Northern Kurdish: şikandin — to destroy, invalidate
  • Northern Kurdish: hilweşandin — to destroy, invalidate
  • Northern Kurdish: ruxandin — to destroy, invalidate
  • Polish: obalać — to destroy, invalidate
  • Polish: obalić — to destroy, invalidate
  • Russian: сверга́ть (svergátʹ) — to destroy, invalidate
  • Russian: опровергать (oprovergatʹ) — to destroy, invalidate
  • Spanish: refutar — to destroy, invalidate
  • Spanish: desafiar — to destroy, invalidate
  • Spanish: derribar — to destroy, invalidate
  • Swedish: kullkasta — to destroy, invalidate