upsetting
adjective
up·set·ting
(ˌ)əp-ˈse-tiŋ 
: mentally or emotionally troubling or disturbing : causing feelings of worry or anxiety
heard some upsetting news
an upsetting experience
We're up to [a deficit of] $1.5 trillion a year …. These numbers are truly upsetting.—
Bill Gates
Bill GatesProfessors issue, or students demand, trigger warnings when presenting material that might be upsetting to some: depictions of rape, sexism, racism, suicide.—Yvonne Abraham
Yvonne Abraham
upsettingly
adverb
an upsettingly graphic depiction of violence
In comparison to male historical figures, the number of women that we learn about throughout school is upsettingly low.
—Alexis Gardner
Alexis Gardner
Examples of upsetting in a Sentence
the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother
Recent Examples on the Web
That the short story wasn’t focused on gay self-loathing or repression appealed to director Hermanus, as well as how the film treats the relationship between Lionel and David with a casualness that belies its potentially upsetting subject matter.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
These questions give hip-hop fans another thing to reckon with, in addition to all of the upsetting claims against Combs.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 12 May 2025
The smart zombies make the most upsetting noises, sounding like human moans.
—Noel Murray, New York Times, 12 May 2025
The findings show that medical gaslighting in these situations is common — and highly upsetting, says lead author Chailee Moss, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Centers for Vulvovaginal Disorders in Washington, DC.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
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Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
These questions give hip-hop fans another thing to reckon with, in addition to all of the upsetting claims against Combs.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 12 May 2025
The smart zombies make the most upsetting noises, sounding like human moans.
—Noel Murray, New York Times, 12 May 2025
The findings show that medical gaslighting in these situations is common — and highly upsetting, says lead author Chailee Moss, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Centers for Vulvovaginal Disorders in Washington, DC.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for upsetting
Cite this Entry
“Upsetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upsetting. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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