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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Try This Instead

For
Try This
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
Her group worked as a conduit between upset residents and the Corps, and as a result, Corps teams partnered with local arborists, reviewed marked trees, and corrected those wrongly identified. —Francine Kiefer, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2025 Meanwhile, at least a few independent installers of Starlink dishes in Canada report online insults and even in-person confrontations from consumers upset at the US trade war with the country. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
To be fair, a source from Wallen’s camp previously told Variety that the singer didn’t mean to upset anyone and actually had a good time on SNL. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025 Economists and taxpayer advocacy groups have their doubts, and are warning tariffs could upset economic growth and will almost surely contribute to higher prices for American consumers. —Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
There is never a more exciting time in college basketball than March Madness, so tune in to catch all the drama and potential upsets. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 The 8-year-old girl from an hour north of Minneapolis had just seen the Glory pull off one of the biggest upsets in franchise history — their very first win against the Spartans. —Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 30 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
  • Others are worried about the fate of the Smithsonian more broadly.
    — Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • An overwhelming 92 percent are worried about a potential recession in 2025.
    — Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Critics worry that other anti-democratic actors will be taking cues from Bukele to curry favor with this particular president.
    — David Catanese, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Victims of car collisions may have more to worry about as insurance companies warn drivers to be aware of a growing scam involving tow truck companies.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of worry
Verb
  • The decision overturned a lower court ruling that had required their reinstatement, supporting Trump's efforts to downsize the federal workforce.
    — Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • He was released after a court overturned his 40-year sentence for the kidnapping and killing of Camarena.
    — Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • This decision by the Russian Federation will undoubtedly endanger lives and disrupt critical HIV prevention efforts for ordinary Russian citizens.
    — Stephen Daw, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Behind the scenes there was no doubt other dreams were dashed and processes disrupted.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of disrupt
Noun
  • Even alongside valid fears of disruptions to Apple’s supply chain, its product suite and global brand power remain unmatched.
    — Catherine Baab, Quartz, 14 Apr. 2025
  • In 2024, global passenger numbers finally surpassed 2019 levels, after years of ripples from the massive disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
    — Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of disruption
Adjective
  • At the same time, sellers might get nervous if deal activity slows down.
    — James Nelson, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • At times brutal and always volatile, the album functions as a sort of electro-shock therapy applied from the shoulders down, layering hard beats, ambient whorls, and nervous acid ticks to trigger a state of full-body rapture.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of nervous
Verb
  • This involved manually disturbing the leg and then releasing it, capturing the resulting oscillations on high-speed video.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2025
  • What Is No-Till Gardening? Simply put, no-till is an approach to gardening that avoids disturbing soil in order to preserve its structure.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • The first ever voyage of the Mark Twain Steamboat, was a memorable experience for riders after the vessel almost capsized in the heart of Frontierland.
    — Rachel Flynn, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • According to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), athletes, staff and other students with Fordham University's men's club rowing team were out on the water just off of City Island in the Bronx on Saturday afternoon, April 5, when their boat capsized.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of capsize

Browse Nearby Words

upscale
upset
upsets
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upset. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on upset

Nglish: Translation of upset for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All