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

Professors issue, or students demand, trigger warnings when presenting material that might be upsetting to some: depictions of rape, sexism, racism, suicide.

—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

Synonyms

• discomforting
• discomposing
• disquieting
• distressing
• disturbing
• nagging
• nasty
• perturbing
• troublesome
• troubling
• troublous
• unsettling
• worrisome

Examples of upsetting in a Sentence

the constant arguing is upsetting to a sensitive person like your grandmother

Recent Examples on the Web

Hair loss solutions If noticeable hair loss is upsetting you, schedule a visit to a dermatologist, who can examine your scalp and order blood work to check for possible underlying causes for the hair loss, Houshmand says. —Stacey Colino, TIME, 12 July 2024

To meet someone who seems like a good catch and then be told this is upsetting. —Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 30 June 2024

Content warning: This diary discusses miscarriage and stalking and may be upsetting to some readers. —Refinery29 Australia Team, refinery29.com, 12 June 2024

This comes as upsetting news to Harper’s Restaurant’s ownership, staff and to the Charlotte community at large, who’ve come to know and love this restaurant since 1987, when the original Woodlawn location opened. —Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above