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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For
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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
But there are things companies can proactively do to help identify their best options and maybe even turn this upset condition into a business advantage for product lines. —Ryan Gray, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 Meanwhile, Meghan was upset and felt that the royal family was… pushing her away. —Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2025
Verb
After upsetting the Bengals in Week 1 last season, the Patriots will return to the Queen City just days before Thanksgiving. —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025 And just for now, in the moment, still a ways from the NBA Finals, one more win against the Celtics will make this feel like that first Super Bowl when the Giants knocked off the 18-0 Patriots, when New York upset Boston that time. —Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 13 May 2025
Noun
Jockey Junior Alvarado, who takes home $3.1 million in winnings, had already pulled off an upset of his own, bouncing back from a hairline fracture in his shoulder two months ago that left him sidelined for weeks. —Nick Duffy, NBC news, 4 May 2025 As its name implies, the single-elimination format means unpredictability, and upsets come with the territory. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 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
  • However, because the pool was shallow, Lisberg was less worried.
    — Raven Brunner, People.com, 25 May 2025
  • There are signs that some in Israel are worried about the consequences of its actions in Gaza.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 24 May 2025
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Given the historical biases in hiring practices, many job seekers worry that AI might perpetuate or even amplify these biases.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • In 1956, a survey of over 2,000 professors showed that 61% had been contacted by the FBI; 40% worried that students might misrepresent their politics; and about a quarter would not express their views for fear of the government.
    — Time, Time, 20 May 2025
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Foreign universities want to hire them May 25, 2025 The suit also seeks to overturn the Trump administration’s 15% cap on indirect costs related to research, which universities say are critical to carrying out their work.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
  • The suit, which hopes to overturn the law, argues that the city’s ordinance violates the First Amendment and does not apply to other forms of speech, like a political candidate asking for support or a church member proselytizing.
    — Vivienne Serret, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • What Could Move The Market? Several factors could disrupt the current market calm: European Tariff Deadline: President Trump has postponed the implementation of a 50% tariff on European Union goods to July 9, 2025.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • An extended pause in scheduling student visas could lead to delays that may disrupt college, boarding-school or exchange students’ plans to enroll in summer and fall terms.
    — Annie Ma, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Definition of disrupt
Noun
  • Because the future of work won’t belong to those who never face disruption.
    — Andrew Fennell, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Lee was called up to the Raw brand in August 2020 but faced disruptions due to health issues, including a severe bout with COVID-19 and subsequent heart inflammation, which kept him sidelined for a significant period.
    — Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Definition of disruption
Adjective
  • The price of gold tends to move when markets get nervous – and so does the gold.
    — Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • It should also be noted that Demings is more than a little nervous right now about making any public promises about helping to finance a baseball stadium.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2025
Definition of nervous
Verb
  • Beaches aren’t typically hotspots for these kinds of fossils unless something is disturbing the seafloor nearby and carrying the remains to shore.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • Solar flares can disturb Earth's ionosphere, for instance, briefly disrupting high-frequency radio signals and leading to brief radio blackouts on the daylit side of the planet during the flare event.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 22 May 2025
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • Their raft capsized, plunging them into a violent, raging current just upstream from its most perilous stretch.
    — Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
  • And, while his long spells out this season with two different hamstring injuries effectively capsized Spurs’ Premier League campaign, his return from injury has been integral to Spurs’ progress to the Europa League final.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 20 May 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 2 Jun. 2025.

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