upside down

adverb

up·​side down ˈəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

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

ˈəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

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

After washing, Adriano advises laying brushes flat or upside down to dry, with the bristles pointing downward. — Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2026

In February 2025, a group of Yosemite employees hung an American flag upside down – a symbolic distress call – in response to the staffing cuts. — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026

Leavitt took it from there, gaining 10 yards on a scramble up the middle that ended with the QB being flipped upside down by multiple tacklers before crashing down hard on the 4-yard line. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

Now an adult, Jake’s (Campbell) life is about to get turned upside down when the appearance of his childhood wishes clash with his practical life. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for upside down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

upside down

adverb

up·​side down ˌəp-ˌsīd-ˈdau̇n 

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