upside down

adverb

up·​side down ˈəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n How to pronounce upside down (audio)
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 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
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.
One video shows Brooks — whose hands are cuffed behind his back — being carried upside down into a medical exam room at the facility. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025 Everything changed in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic turned their world upside down. Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2025 Everything changes, however, when Viola Van Horn (Williams) turns their world upside down. Julia Teti, WWD, 3 Feb. 2025 His life is turned upside down when his estranged daughter Riley (played by Kat Dennings) unexpectedly returns home with her two kids, teenage son Carter (played by Maxwell Simkins) and young daughter Georgia (played by Barrett Margolis), in tow. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for upside down 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of upside down was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near upside down

Cite this Entry

“Upside down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upside%20down. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

upside down

adverb
up·​side down ˌəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n How to pronounce upside down (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on upside down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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