upset 1 of 3

adjective

(ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
Definition of upsetnext
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty she was upset by the unexplained change in plans

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

upset

2 of 3

verb

(ˌ)əp-ˈset How to pronounce upset (audio)
1
as in to worry
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overturn
to turn on one's side or upside down the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

upset

3 of 3

noun

ˈəp-ˌset How to pronounce upset (audio)
as in disruption
an act or instance of the order of things being disturbed the move to a new town is just the latest in a series of upsets for my family over the last year

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an upset child
an unhappy child
an agitated child
an emotional child
a distraught child
a perturbed child
upset customers
unhappy customers
displeased customers
unsatisfied customers
outraged customers
angry customers
an upset stomach
a sour stomach
an irritable stomach
an unsettled stomach
an uneasy stomach
a sick stomach

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb upset contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of upset are agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, fluster, and perturb. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

When is it sensible to use agitate instead of upset?

While the synonyms agitate and upset are close in meaning, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

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

In what contexts can discompose take the place of upset?

Although the words discompose and upset have much in common, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When can disquiet be used instead of upset?

The synonyms disquiet and upset are sometimes interchangeable, but disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

When might disturb be a better fit than upset?

In some situations, the words disturb and upset are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

When could fluster be used to replace upset?

The words fluster and upset are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When would perturb be a good substitute for upset?

The meanings of perturb and upset largely overlap; however, perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of upset
Adjective
Symptoms of vitamin overdose can range from mild (stomach upset or a skin rash) to severe (liver damage, seizures, or stroke). —Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 21 Mar. 2025 On the men's side, McNeese (No. 12) pulled off a March Madness upset last night, defeating No. 5 Clemson. —Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
That year, the Knights went 18-2-2, losing just once in the regular season before being upset by Andrew in a sectional semifinal. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025 The former Valparaiso guard hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in 1998 to upset No. 4 seed Arizona, 70-69. —Bennett Conlin, Baltimore Sun, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
Last year, there were no upsets in the games at Ball Arena. —Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2025 Where to shop for upsets David-over-Goliath upsets in the early rounds? —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for upset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upset
  1. worried
  2. worry
  3. overturn
  4. disrupt
  5. disruption
  6. nervous
  7. disturb
  8. capsize
Adjective
  • If the Yankees are worried about pitching, Kevin Cash isn’t with his Rays.
    — Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Former Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore is increasingly worried about the ongoing plunge in consumer confidence.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Not worrying about getting dirty or anything like that.
    — Kayla Grant, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
  • According to Schwartz, the Sierra Nevada saw above-average snowfall over the previous two water years, so there’s no reason to worry about the slight drop in snowfall in 2025.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Missouri banned almost all abortions in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe.
    — Summer Ballentine, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Iran’s Supreme Court later overturned Yasin’s death sentence on appeal, and his sentence was eventually set at five years.
    — Madalena Araujo, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • DDoS Threats Cybercriminals threaten Distributed Denial of Service attacks to disrupt personal websites unless payment is made.
    — Alex Vakulov, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Unions point out that the CSRA granted federal workers collective bargaining rights in order to provide them a way to address workplace issues without disrupting government operations.
    — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of disrupt
Noun
  • The administration has increasingly signaled that the American people should expect some economic disruptions in the near term.
    — Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
  • While some industry experts believe car sales will persevere, others warn of production disruptions, price increases and potential layoffs if tariffs persist.
    — Jamie L. LaReau, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of disruption
Adjective
  • If people are scared and nervous, that in and of itself is harm.
    — Stephen Daw, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Dogs might feel scared and nervous or have separation anxiety while home alone.
    — Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of nervous
Verb
  • Crimping is the process of severing a crop at the base and laying it over to create a decomposing thatch/mulch layer for the garden without disturbing the soil.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025
  • For example, museums could provide different audio guides to visitors without headphones, and libraries could allow students to study with audio lessons without disturbing others.
    — Jiaxin Zhong, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • In November 2024, a tourist boat capsized off Egypt's coast, killing four people.
    — Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
  • After a boat carrying eight passengers capsized in Florida, one person was found dead and four were taken to safety.
    — Bailey Richards, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of capsize

Browse Nearby Words

upscale
upset
upsets
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Cite this Entry

“Upset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upset. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

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