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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
Others were upset that the schools had given their personal contact information to the government. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025 This isn't the first time something found in a thrift store has left people feeling upset. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
Sunday's premiere culminates in one of the game's most famous scenes: a dance where Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) kiss, which makes local bigot Seth (Robert John Burke) upset and sparks Joel (Pedro Pascal) to defend them. —Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025 As the sixth seed last season, the Pacers upset the Bucks in the first round as Antetokounmpo missed the whole series and Lillard missed Games 4 and 5. —The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
Tonight, then, could be his redemption: Villa causing the upset of the knockouts by surging into the semi-finals at the expense of his old club and the best-looking team in the last eight (our latest podcast is bowing down at Luis Enrique’s feet). —Justin Guthrie, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 In a year with relatively few upsets, the best models closely mirrored the actual trajectory of March Madness. —Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 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
  • According to Breen’s brother-in-law, Corey Feist, many people worried that any move to take care of their mental health could affect their jobs.
    — Christina Ray Stanton, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Moran worries that Alvarado, a diabetic breast cancer survivor who suffers from high blood pressure and needs to eat and drink frequently, will have poor access to her medication in detention — or after deportation.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Still to be determined is Vessel’s plan in Glastonbury; the town rejected it, and Vessel won a Superior Court lawsuit to overturn that decision.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The case had long been viewed by Palin and other conservatives as a possible vehicle to overturn the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court landmark New York Times v. Sullivan.
    — Luc Cohen, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • When someone has it, their immune system goes into overdrive, producing more antibodies (or immunoglobulins, hence the name) than necessary that disrupt typical organ function.
    — David Oliver, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Though relatively small and obscure, the agency plays a vital role in helping to settle disputes so as to avoid labor unrest that can disrupt the free flow of commerce, according to former federal mediators and experts.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of disrupt
Noun
  • This plan helped ensure a seamless transition and minimized disruptions to the business.
    — Craig West, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • However, two new studies suggest that mattresses firm enough for a child to sleep on safely may emit toxic chemicals that previous research indicates are linked to developmental delays and endocrine system disruptions.
    — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of disruption
Adjective
  • 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
  • At the same time, sellers might get nervous if deal activity slows down.
    — James Nelson, Forbes.com, 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
  • At least 148 people were found dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorized wooden boat caught fire and capsized, media reports citing local officials said on Friday.
    — FOXNews.com, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Sailors prevented the ship from capsizing, but the vessel ultimately sank to the bottom of the harbor.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 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 30 Apr. 2025.

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