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
Little things have happened through the years that have upset people, and no one ever communicates or makes up with each other. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 The fact that Chong was now the de facto director of their films had upset the balance of power. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2024 Last year, South Carolina went undefeated in the SEC regular season and SEC tournament before being upset by Iowa in the Final Four. Jacob Lev, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024 Over the past year, Denver has assisted migrants through tens of thousands of hotel vouchers, hot meals and millions of dollars in cash assistance, a move that has upset some locals already struggling to pay rents that are 30% above the national average. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2024 The Gators upset Green Mountain to get here, avenging a pair of losses in the process. Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 29 Feb. 2024 The team was upset by Phoenix despite leading by a goal for most of the match, only to have the visitors score in the 80th and 90th minutes. Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024 The conversation left Scheana upset that Ariana was not willing to hear side of the story. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 A lot of his base were offended and upset by the indictments, so there's been a rallying around facts. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
Learn more › The first round of our Bass Lure Bracket is complete—and the road to the Sweet 16 was paved with plenty of upsets. Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024 On average between 1985 and 2023, there've been just over eight upsets per tournament, or just about 13% of the 63 games, according to the NCAA. USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 Teams with one dominant pitcher rather than a few good ones can pull off upsets. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 Lots of chalk Unlike 2023, when the Pac-12 tournament had a record seven upsets (based on seeds), leading to a title for No. 7 Washington State, there were no such upsets until the final, when No. 2 USC prevailed over Stanford. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 The men’s national team was already on the rise before the takeover but has continued to thrive under the new regime, defying expectations and scoring stunning upsets in international play. Rick Noack, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 By Thursday afternoon, multiple upsets had occurred: Vich topped Devillers in a breaker, Sock ground out a 3-game win over McGuffin, and the big shock was #43 Campbell continuing his run and beating the Masters gold medalist Dylan Frazier in three to move into the quarters. Todd Boss, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 An upset of the conference-leading Tar Heels on ESPN Saturday in front of a sellout crowd would certainly help their resume and make national headlines. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 9 Feb. 2024 The sun’s clash with Uranus delivers career upsets. USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2024
Adjective
His predicted upset in the South Regional didn’t come to fruition, as No. 2 Marquette overcame a 10-point first-half deficit to defeat No. 15 Western Kentucky 87-69. Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 The Golden Hurricane won the American Athletic Conference regular-season title before being upset in their conference tournament by East Carolina. Ethan Westerman, arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2024 Several other teams upset higher seeds, but the biggest upset of them all was Fairleigh Dickinson University's win over Purdue. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2024 Continue reading … ‘I WAS DEVASTATED’ – Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford 'really, really upset' by investigation findings. Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024 In his apology, Jackson acknowledged why his followers were upset. Makena Kelly, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024 Grand Canyon is kind of a boutique upset pick — Jay Bilas, the ESPN analyst who knows a lot about a lot, picked the Lopes. The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 Last Seen at His Bar in Nashville The family was particularly upset after Strain’s bank card was found by two women on an embankment near the Cumberland River, an area that was extensively searched by volunteers in the days prior to the discovery. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Ashanti Dias, Archbishop Riordan, 5-4, senior First-team all-WCAL selection led Archbishop Riordan to the CCS Open Division playoffs and an upset victory over Acalanes in the NorCal playoffs. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024

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 28 Mar. 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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