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

• disturbing
• unsettling
• troubling
• frightening

Examples of upsetting in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Furthermore, a source close to Harry made clear how upsetting the findings were for him. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 8 Aug. 2025

Practice saying no to things that aren’t in your best interest, and avoid engaging in triggering, negative, or upsetting conversations. —Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

The researchers found that several factors, including climate change, are disrupting Earth’s natural water cycle, upsetting how moisture circulates between the ground, oceans and atmosphere. —Denise Chow, NBC news, 25 July 2025

At Yale, coach James Jones has led the Bulldogs into the NCAA Tournament five times, and advanced to the Round of 32 twice, upsetting Baylor in 2016 and Auburn in ’23. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 24 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for upsetting

• abetting
• begetting
• besetting
• bloodletting
• briquetting
• forgetting
• offsetting
• pipetting
• regretting
• resetting
• subletting
• typesetting