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

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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

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

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
Hardy was upset about the ensemble cast, including big names like Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. —Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 As foreshadowing, Nora is disproportionately upset about a social media video Ida posted that’s gone viral, which shows Nora and Thomas and their child dancing for the camera on the farm. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Verb
Now the Bruins will host Central Florida, which upset regional host Florida State, for a super regional series starting Friday with a ticket to the Women’s College World Series on the line. —Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 Point Loma owns another plus in its bid to upset Mater Dei Catholic. —Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
Noun
At the 1950 World Cup, the United States defeated tournament favorites England 1–0 in one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history. —Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026 With some teams on the metaphorical beach and others preparing for European finals, there could be even more scope for upsets than is usually the case in the final stages. —Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 15 May 2026 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
  • Reformers were worried that putting more money into the hands of local school districts, without oversight to ensure that it was being spent effectively, would lead to its diversion into administration and more generous union contracts rather than hands-on instruction for kids who needed it most.
    — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
  • Yu said that, as China has strengthened its social safety net, people are less worried about having to rely on others.
    — Janis Mackey Frayer, NBC news, 14 May 2026
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Plus, pet owners like myself will appreciate not having to worry about our animals being around pesticides.
    — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
  • The band isn’t worried about label expectations or pleasing mainstream audiences.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • But the convictions were recently overturned, leading to the legal scion’s return to court.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
  • The White House is suing to overturn the ban.
    — Semafor Events, semafor.com, 22 May 2026
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • Understanding these unexpected auroras could improve forecasts of dangerous space weather, which can disrupt satellites, GPS systems, communications and even power grids during extreme solar storms.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 26 May 2026
  • The fears that artificial intelligence will disrupt its business are alive and well, as Bank of America's sell call on the stock last week shows.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz,Zev Fima, CNBC, 25 May 2026
Definition of disrupt
Noun
  • That rally ended in sudden disruption that experts later said involved the use of a sonic weapon against peaceful demonstrators.
    — Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
  • Students are continuously tempted to use their phone throughout the school day, causing disruptions in the learning environment.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Definition of disruption
Adjective
  • All Cayenne Electric models feature adaptive suspension, but even in Comfort mode, the Coupe felt harsh and nervous on bumpy roads.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
  • In this Gallic Neverland, there’s not a safety helmet (or nervous parent) in sight, which admittedly adds to the film’s feral energy.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 25 May 2026
Definition of nervous
Verb
  • Against the photographic realism of Paglen and Burtynsky, a sleeker subset of work risks rendering seductive that which ought to disturb us.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
  • The idea that there can be any kind of misalignment between them, though, disturbs her.
    — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • The year before, a tourist boat capsized in the nearby area with 14 passengers and two crew members on board.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 24 May 2026
  • Emergency officials said the vessel — a Sever-750 airboat designed to travel across both ice and water — capsized just offshore with 18 people aboard.
    — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2026
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 28 May. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of upset for Spanish Speakers

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