upset

1 of 3

verb

up·​set (ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
upset; upsetting

transitive verb

1
: to thicken and shorten (something, such as a heated bar of iron) by hammering on the end : swage
2
: to force out of the usual upright, level, or proper position : overturn
3
a
: to trouble mentally or emotionally : disturb the poise of
the news upset me
b
: to throw into disorder
d
: to defeat unexpectedly
was upset in the primary
4
: to cause a physical disorder in
specifically : to make somewhat ill
spicy food upsets my stomach

intransitive verb

: to become overturned
upsetter noun

upset

2 of 3

noun

up·​set ˈəp-ˌset How to pronounce upset (audio)
1
: an act of overturning : overturn
2
a(1)
: an act of throwing into disorder : disarrangement
(2)
: a state of disorder : confusion
b
: an unexpected defeat
3
a
: a minor physical disorder
a stomach upset
b
: an emotional disturbance
went through a big upset after his father's death
4
a
: a part of a rod (such as the head on a bolt) that is upset
b
: the expansion of a bullet on striking

upset

3 of 3

adjective

up·​set (ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
1
: emotionally disturbed or agitated
was too upset to speak to him
2
: affected with minor physical disturbance or disorder
an upset stomach
Phrases
upset the apple cart
: to disturb or overturn a natural or stable order
Choose the Right Synonym for upset

discompose, disquiet, disturb, perturb, agitate, upset, fluster mean to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action.

discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

Examples of upset in a Sentence

Verb That remark you made really upset me. Don't upset yourself over it. It upsets him that he can do nothing to help. A lot of people were upset by the court's decision. It upsets me to think I might never see him again. Spicy food upsets my stomach. Noun In a major upset, he took the gold medal. Her victory in the election was a big upset. Spicy foods can cause stomach upset. An emotional upset can affect your physical health. a period of emotional upset Adjective I was feeling upset by the whole experience. There's no point in getting all upset about it. I try not to let her make me upset. She was too upset to speak to him. I'm upset that you didn't call. I was so upset with him, I didn't call him for two weeks.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Side effects reported include insomnia and stomach upset. Mary Choy, Health, 21 Oct. 2024 Washington Examiner columnist Salena Zito argued that the 2024 presidential election is trending similarly to that of 2016, which saw Donald Trump upset the Democratic elite and win the White House. Heather Hamilton, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Oct. 2024
Noun
That caused some movement in the Top 25 rankings, and could have been more but Alabama held off South Carolina 27-25 and Illinois escaped vs. Purdue 50-49 with both the ‘Tide and Illini avoiding among the biggest upsets of the season as more than 21 point favorites. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 Week 2 of the NFL gave us some shocking upsets, an AFC thriller and some spectacular individual performances. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2024
Adjective
Others at the wedding became upset with Landsee, who became agitated and started to yell. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 24 Oct. 2024 The issue was arguably helpful to Democrats in 2020, when many voters were upset with Trump’s family separation policy and his ban on immigrants from Muslim-majority countries. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for upset 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1677, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of upset was in 1677

Dictionary Entries Near upset

Cite this Entry

“Upset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upset. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

upset

1 of 3 verb
up·​set (ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
upset; upsetting
1
: to force or be forced out of the usual position : overturn
2
a
: to worry, anger, or cause unhappiness to
the news upset me
b
: to make somewhat ill
spicy food upsets my stomach
3
a
: to throw into disorder
b
: to defeat unexpectedly

upset

2 of 3 noun
up·​set ˈəp-ˌset How to pronounce upset (audio)
1
: an act or result of upsetting : a state of being upset
2
a
: a minor illness
a stomach upset
b
: a period of worry or unhappiness

upset

3 of 3 adjective
up·​set (ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
: emotionally disturbed or shaken up
was too upset to talk

Medical Definition

upset

1 of 3 transitive verb
up·​set (ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
upset; upsetting
1
: to trouble mentally or emotionally
the news upset me
2
: to cause a physical disorder in
specifically : to make somewhat ill
greasy food upsets my stomach

upset

2 of 3 noun
up·​set ˈəp-ˌset How to pronounce upset (audio)
1
: a minor physical disorder
a stomach upset
2
: an emotional disturbance

upset

3 of 3 adjective
up·​set (ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
1
: affected with a minor physical disturbance
an upset stomach
2
: emotionally disturbed or agitated
was too upset to speak

More from Merriam-Webster on upset

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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