upheaval

/ʌpˈhiːvl/ (bre, ipa) · [əphˈivəl] /ʌpˈhiːvl/ (ame, ipa) · [əphˈivəl] /ˌəp-ˈhē-vəl How to pronounce upheaval (audio) (ˌ)ə-ˈpē-/ (ame, mw)

upheaval — 名詞

  • upheavalsingular
  • upheavalsplural

1. A period of sudden, disruptive change that shakes up a society, organisation, or

1.名詞B2
釋義

動盪；劇變

突然且劇烈的變動，帶來混亂或困難

A period of sudden, disruptive change that shakes up a society, organisation, or person's life.

例句

The sudden death of the CEO caused upheaval throughout the company.

執行長的突然離世在公司內部引發了劇烈動盪。

collocation: upheaval throughout [place/organisation]

Gita's family faced years of upheaval after the civil war broke out.

內戰爆發後，Gita 一家人經歷了多年的動盪。

collocation: years of upheaval

同義詞
  • disruption

    more neutral; does not always imply the emotional or social cost that upheaval carries

  • turmoil

    emphasises confusion and anxiety more than structural change

  • chaos

    stronger; suggests complete disorder with no sense of eventual resolution

反義詞
  • stability

    a steady, unchanging state

  • calm

    peaceful absence of disturbance

用法筆記

Can be used as both countable (an upheaval, upheavals) and uncountable (a period of upheaval). Typically describes large-scale or long-lasting disruption rather than minor, temporary disturbances.

常見錯誤

❌The loud music caused an upheaval in the library.
✅The loud music caused a disturbance in the library.
💡upheaval suggests major, lasting disruption, not a small, short-lived nuisance.