How to pronounce upheaval
Say it like up-HEE-vul. Upheaval has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce upheaval. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- up
- HEE
- vul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Upheaval pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- upKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- HEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- vulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of upheaval
American and British speakers say upheaval in essentially the same way: /əpˈhivəl/ in the US and /əpˈhiːvəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: up-HEE-vul.
What does upheaval mean?
- The process of being heaved upward, especially the raising of part of the earth's crust.
- A disruptive change, from one state to another.
- A sudden violent upset, disruption or convulsion.
Where does upheaval come from?
From upheave + -al.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with upheaval
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of upheaval.
Questions about saying upheaval
How do you pronounce upheaval?
Say up-HEE-vul. The American pronunciation is /əpˈhivəl/. In British English it is /əpˈhiːvəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in upheaval?
Upheaval has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HEE). Broken into parts: up · HEE · vul.
Do Americans and Brits say upheaval the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əpˈhivəl/ and the British form is /əpˈhiːvəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.