upside down

adverb

up·​side down ˈəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

1

: in such a way that the upper and the lower parts are reversed in position

2

: in or into great disorder

turned their world upside down

upside-down

ˈəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

adjective

Examples of upside down in a Sentence

You hung the picture upside down!

To remove the plant, turn the pot upside down and tap gently on the bottom to loosen it.

The baby was holding the book upside down.

Recent Examples on the Web

But longstanding relationships in Syria were turned upside down this month when a coalition of rebels from the north swept to Damascus, the capital, eventually joined by rebels who banded together in the south. —Josh Holder, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024

Get the recipe for Reba's pineapple upside down cake What Does Reba's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Taste Like? —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2024

Coming down to Earth in Book V to warn Adam of Satan’s plan, Raphael stays through Book VIII and recounts the war in Heaven, replete with Satan’s invention of cannon fire and the mountaintops that the armies of God flip upside down and hurl at the rebel angels. —Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024

To wrap your gift: Place your box upside down on the paper. —Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English up so doun, from up + so + doun down

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

upside down

adverb

up·​side down ˌəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

1

: with the upper part underneath and the lower part on top

2

: in or into great disorder

upside-down adjective

Legal Definition

upside down

adjective

: underwater

upside down mortgages

upside down homes

upside down homeowners