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.
The new food pyramid has turned things upside down. Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026 Turn it upside down and gently shake to remove loose debris. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2026 Ahead of the opening ceremony, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the nearly four years of Russia's war have taken a hard toll on Ukrainian athletes, some of whom have either died on the battlefield or had their lives turned upside down by the fighting. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026 As camp turned into preseason games, the Dolphins’ opener to the exhibition season in Chicago nearly turned Mattison’s life upside down, let alone his chances of contributing to the team. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upside down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upside%20down. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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

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